Footnotes from Water Music

Dear George

Will you permit me, with these simple words of adulation, to confess to you my secret and embarrassing infatuation? If I am able to convey to you my heartfelt consternation, that would suffer me great joy and so much felicitation.

Alexa's quick internet access once held my admiration, with her ever open ear and a voice worthy of adoration. But out in the middle of the ocean, with no wi-fi indication, I now recognise just how fickle was my juvenile infatuation.

You modestly demand not less than ten volts application, heading and wind-vane transponder supplied indication, reading the flux compass and with much data interpolation, you steer us on a set course or angle-to-wind reconciliation.

The speed and accuracy of your endless calculation deserve, and earn, the highest academic accolation. With nonchalant disregard of wind or wave agitation, your diligence, and persistence, are beyond repudiation.

Your virtues of endurance and fidelity, in combination with rudder instruction provided without complication compared with humans, it is an impressive compilation, that inspires awe and holds me in raptuous captivation.

While others are: eating, sleeping or lost in contemplation; reading books or gazing up at the celestial constellation; reasonably distracted by ' a fish on the line' justification; you alone always concentrate on guiding us to salvation.

Whipping, splicing and lashing are my daily preoccupation - sail trimming and helming are way above my pay gradation. Alone on night watch i attempt to engage you in conversation, but am frustrated by your apparent deafness to my saluation.

I think that your mute condition is cruel condemnation to an existence of lonely, silent and solitary isolation. But with a verbal interface permitting externalisation; perhaps you would consider expressing reciprocation.

Programmed with few messages, and no power of creation, 'Drive stopped' has been your only on-screen notification. Are you closing down in order to shut out my invocation, or offering me your tiller and hope of mutual gratification?

I like a companion who will join me in noontime libation, but care not for someone who is interested in royal baby titivation. I value someone who believes in silence is worth preservation, and reckon 'two out of three ain't bad' as your qualification.

By name and nature you are of male characterisation. But could it be that George is really an abbreviation? And as Georgina you might possess female fascination, and, therefore, a more appropriate gender identification.

it is possible that you would chose 'G' as a modern nomination. What would that suggest in an age of LGBTIQ classification? However I am not concerned about your sexual inclination, content to offer to be just a loyal and loving platonic relation.

I beg, do not dismiss my feeling without contemplation, for I live in hope, although also cautious trepidation, that somehow you will be able to indicate confirmation, comprehension, acceptance and romantic reciprocation.

I remain, sir or madam as the case maybe, your devoted and besotted servant - OB (Written out here in the South Pacific sea phantising about you and me).