Back from vacation one year, about 1966, I met a newcomer to the Hull Technical Department. He was a strange sort of character, who will remain anonymous even though he's probably dead, or so old it wouldn't make any difference. Let's call him Tom.
He didn't stay in the department long before he transferred to another of the technical departments, eventually he wound up in nuclear engineering, dealing with the reactors and associated problems.
He would wander into our work area from time to time just to shoot the breeze. I'd always ask him, "How's it going?" His reply woulde be, "Fine." then off we'd go into a discussion of some philosophical or technical topic.
That he was in several different departments turned out to be quite normal for him. He was reported to be a member of Mensa and I certainly think it was more than possible. The shipyard, for some reason, attracted some very high caliber people. It may still, but those were special times.
Tom was a strange character. He had a proclivity for moving around. He lived in a lot of different cities before coming to Newport News. In Newport News, he moved lodging often, never staying in one place for more than a couple of months. He'd lived all over town.
Then one day he told me he'd bought a somewhat large sailboat. He didn't sail, but he solved his moving problems. Now he simply cast off his shorelines and moved the boat to a different marina, something he did about as often as he once moved to a new rooming house. At some point he quit the area and went to Wahington, DC.
He came to mind a few days ago while I was writing in my journal. I have no clue as to why.
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