An Unearned Honour - or Curse?

Between Samoa and Fiji, we officially crossed the International Dateline (although unofficially we’d crossed it a couple of times before). Upon arising in the morning, we found ourselves the surprised recipients of a unique certification the efforts of which to earn it cost us nothing. It reads:

 

CROSSING THE DATELINE

CERTIFICATE

A Proclamation

Be it known to all that I, Knight of the Hours and Monarch of the Magic Meridian, so grant passage to Holland American Line’s Ship

Ms Noordam

Which, under special dispensation of Neptune, doth journey across our broad Pacific Ocean. Let the 180^th chain of time be parted for Her glorious advance.

In commemoration of this day – October 13, 2017

Jennifer Louise Butler

Shall receive a bounty of twenty-four hours, by edict of our chronological majesty and the implacable calendar. You are hereby awarded with a precious page of Her eternal book.

Well, gosh. Thanks Knight.

What do you say to those that cross the dateline going the other way I wonder? “Tough luck, you have to live the same day over again tomorrow. Hope it didn’t suck.” ?

In the meantime, I got to jump straight to Friday the 13^th. Do not pass go. Do not collect $100. In essence, “Sorry sister, you don’t get the day of October 12, but you still paid for it!”