
The 21st Birthday
Anonymous
February 1982, my 21st Birthday and first trip offshore, the nausea and headache a mixture of anxiety and hangover. The climb up the stairs of the chopper was a surprise, the effects of super hot spent paraffin fumes almost ended in no stomach contents.
Strapping into my seat now and old hand looks across with a wry smile and eyeballs my pallor, "first time?" he asks, "Aye" says me. ... (continues)


