33Gilligan's Island ~ "The Road Not Travelled"
by Dash O'Pepper
Author's Notes: This story is dedicated to Russell Johnson: The Professor who made the unbelievable believable, as well as to the rest of the cast from this beloved television classic.
• The author would like to thank all those who have read and/or reviewed this story, especially K9grmingTwihard, autismmom31910 and bythepalmtrees, as well as my anon reviewers. Your reviews were most kind and supportive, and I'm extremely grateful for them.
• This story may also be found on AO3.
Prologue:
So much for meteorology being an exact science, thought Professor Roy Hinkley, as he and Skipper Jonas Grumby began their examination of the typhoon's damage to the scuttled SS Minnow.
While the Professor's knowledge of boats was limited, he did have familiarity with engineering, and the Skipper's seamanship would make up for his lack of nautical prowess.
From a cursory examination, it appeared that the outer holes would be repairable; it was when they began the inspection of the SS Minnow's inner frame that both men's hearts sank. While not immediately noticeable, it was clear from an in-depth examination that the frame of the boat had been battered and twisted in the storm. Without the proper tools—even if there was a way to fashion them—the Minnow would still need a shipyard to repair the damage it sustained.
"What do we tell the others?" the Skipper's tone was solemn.
"The truth, of course." Being a scientist, the Professor was not one to believe in sugar-coating the obvious.
"Professor, if we tell them, they'll have nothing to hope for. The transmitter's a lost cause." It was an accident that his first mate's fishing line had snagged the device and flung it into the depths of the Pacific, but he still cringed at the memory. "And you heard the radio reports, the Coast Guard's called off the search."
"I still believe everyone would want to know the truth."
"A little white lie would be more likely to give them some hope."
The Professor was about to respond on the futility of hope in their current situation, but the big man continued, "Our survival's gonna depend on everyone working together, right?"
The question was rhetorical, but the Professor acquiesced on that point of argument, and nodded.
"Sometimes hope's the only thing that'll keep a man going."
"And what happens to 'hope' when they finally realise the Minnow will never again float?"
"With a little luck and God's help, we'll be rescued long before that."