"You know, mate, if I could have anything in abundance, I would have bananas," Jack mused, quite out of nowhere, as they were standing at the railing and enjoying the evening breeze.

James frowned. "Bananas?" The conversation was dangerously moving toward harebrained again—not that this was any kind of news, but he had hoped not to be exposed to Jack's crazed mind any further tonight. What had he been thinking to accept that dinner invitation, anyway?

"Aye. Bananas are great. I could disguise meself as a banana merchant an' lure ships near the Pearl, an' then I'll show me true colours and loot'em. Or if the waters are calm, I could sell a bunch of 'em an' make money—honest money—I'm sure you'd like that." Jack grinned. "An' what do they say? A banana a day..."

"It's an apple," James interjected dryly.

Jack waved his hand langurously. "Apple, banana—whatever. What d'you say?"

"That is ridiculous."

"Ah well, If you're so sure you'd come up with somethin' better, why don't you tell me what you'd want?" Jack pouted.

James sighed. "Your quitting piracy, perhaps?"

The pirate gave the off-duty commodore a mocking laugh. "Now that is ridiculous."

James stared at Jack, absolutely bewildered. "How is that ridiculous, pray tell?" he blurted out, annoyed by the pirate's incapability of seeing obvious points. "It would save you—and us—a lot of trouble! Your bananas, on the other hand, would do nothing of the sort!"

"James, come on!" Jack said at length, his eyes pitiful as they were fixed on the other man. "If you choose to have fantasies, at least be realistic about them."