Bandana

He woke up to the scents of wood and sea. The hard surface he lay on rocked gently and thudded with muffled footsteps. Suddenly, cold sea water splashed over him. His eyes sprang open, and he sat up sputtering. Laughter surrounded him.   "What the he-" Another splash of water hit his face.   "On yer feet, landlubber," a burly fellow rumbled. "Time to get to work swabbin' the deck."   "But I'm not a sailor!" He protested, then yelped as the burly fellow hauled him to his feet.   "You still ain't a sailor, landlubber, yer a pirate now." He slapped a bandana on the landlubber's shoulder. "Wear it proper. Can't have you roasting what little brains you got."   "I don't want to be a pirate!" Laughter surrounded him again.   "Yer welcome to swim ashore." The burly man waved his arm in a wide circle. There was no land to be seen.   The landlubber gulped then, with quivering lip, nodded, and tied the bandana over his head.

  Sailors in the tropical waters of the Basquay Sea wear headgear to protect the beating rays of sunshine that beam down upon a ship. Navies and the wealthier trading companies provide a uniform cap that their sailors can wear with pride. Other ships simply hand out bandanas or, if they are really uncaring or poor, don't ever bother. Pirate ships make sure to give every crewman a bandana. Not out of real concern, but so they can blend into most sailor crowds when port.   Paper and ink are so rare that most sailors and pirates can go years without ever touching either. Keeping track of memories and personal notes is still important. What they do have plenty of is needles and thread. Stitching things on the underside of their bandana. Pirates in particular have taken to stitching on their bandanas in code.