An angel?

Silly perhaps, but it crossed my mind that the young sailor might have been something of an angelic apparition?

The story of his fall from 5000 feet from an airplane, over 50 bones broken but walking to the ambulance by himself due to an adrenaline boost? Also, when Richard and the sailor are alone (Patricia is off buying choco puffs) Richard asks the sailor if he wants lemon in his lemonade. He then goes to the kitchen, fetches the lemon from the fridge, and when he looks up he is for an instant startled seeing the sailor sitting at the kitchen bar. How did the young boy get there so fast? Richard obviously didn't hear him move...

Maybe far fetched, but it's a possible extra layer to the story, wouldn't you say?