From: TexDyer@aol.com
Sent: Monday, August 04, 2003 3:35 PM
To: billhenderson; Patsyship@aol.com
Subject: part 2 the night before
JUST AS I SETTLE IN FOR A MARATHON DRINK-A-THON TO AWAIT MY FRIEND KEN'S
ARRRIVAL TOMORROW, THIS HUGE 47 FOOT POWERBOAT TIES UP JUST FEET FROM MY
MINNOW........
MY FRIEND AND EQUALLY
AVID ADVENTURER WAYNE S. GRAY HAD PROMISED ME A SET OF CHARTS FOR THE
BARGE CANALS AS SOON AS HE COULD GET THEM RETURNED FROM A FRIEND.....
WAYNE HAD COME 30 MILES
TO MAKE GOOD THAT PROMISE
JUST IN THE NICK OF
TIME..............NOW ANY SAILOR KNOWS THAT CALLS FOR AT LEAST 1
DRINK..........HIS BOAT WAS STILL TIED UP THE NEXT MORNING........BEFORE
HE STARTED WRITING BOOKS ON REMEDIAL MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, HE AND I WOULD
NAVIGATE ACROSS LAKE ONTARIO ON HIS TANZER 22 GUIDED ONLY BY THE
CLOUDS..................................EVEN MADE IT .............ONCE
MORNING HAS BROKEN AND THE " CRUSING " CONFIGURATION OF THE
SHARK IS JAMMED FULL OF EVERY THING ANY 2 PEOPLE COULD POSSIBLY NEED
!............NO!!!!!!!!!! YOU CAN BUY FOOD AND WATER
ANYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!....I ONLY AWAIT 1:30 FOR KEN TO ARRIVE BY CAB AT THE
DOCK OVER CITY SIDE........
ALL THE JUNK ASSOCIATED
WITH THE "CRUSING "MODE IS ON BOARD AND I CAN STILL SEE THE
WATER-LINE........KINNDA......LIKE
SORTA.....IF YOU LOOK
HARD.....YA'KNOW
THROUGH THE USE OF COMPLICATED TECHNOLOGY, HIS CELL PHONE CALLS MINE AND
WE MEET OUTSIDE THE AIR-CONDITIONED BAR AND IN THE BROILING SUN IN ORDER
TO UNLOAD THE 457 POUNDS OF LUGGAGE HE THOUGHT HE MIGHT NEED FOR HIS 5
DAY STAY
REMEMBER..........KEN IS A POWER BOATER.......HE HAS YET TO EVEN SEE THE
BOAT.......WE EACH WEIGH AROUND 240 TO 250 POUNDS AND AS SUCH EACH
CONSTITUTE ABOUT 10% EACH OF MOVABLE BALLAST.........NOW LET'S ADD HIS
450 POUNDS OF LUGGAGE TO THE " CRUSING " MODE OF THE VESSEL
THE ONLY WORD THAT COMES TO MIND IS " DOOMED "
I SMILE AND WELCOME HIM
AS WE LOAD HIS GEAR ONTO THE WATER-TAXI FOR THE TRIP OVER TO THE
ISLANDS.........AS WE APPROACH I POINT OUT A BEAUTIFUL BLUE 47
FOOTER KETCH RIGGED AND HUMBLY APOLOGIZE FOR THAT NOT BEING OUR RIDE
I NEXT SHOW HIM A 42
PASSPORT......AGAIN IN BLUE..........
MAGNIFICENT BUT AGAIN
UNFORTNATELY, NOT OUR RIDE
WE ROUND A BEND AND A
CROWD IS COLLECTED AROUND A GRAMPIAN 30........AGAIN IN
BLUE............THEY SHOUT OUT HIS NAME AND HE RECOGNIZES FACES FROM THE
PAST AS THEY RACE TO GREET HIM........EACH HAS BEEN PAID HEAVILY TO STOP
HIM BEFORE HE REACHES THE GRAMPIAN 30....THE RECOGNITION, THE
CAMARADE,THE REST FROM DRAGGING THE BAGS " HEY, LET'S HAVE A
DRINK"........ALL COMBINED TO HAVE KEN TAKE A BREAK AND SIT ON THE
SIDE OF " JUST ANOTHER BLUE SAILBOAT"
WITH 30 PEOPLE BETWEEN HE AND LAND.........ME DOING MY BEST TO EXPLAIN
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE SHARK'S COMPACT LIVING QUARTERS,POINTING OUT THE
ADVANTAGES OF KEEPING YOUR TOWEL OVER THE BOOM EVEN AT NIGHT
.......IT TOOK 4 OF US TO DRAG HIM OUT THE FIRST TIME HE
MADE THE ESCAPE
ATTEMPT, BUT AFTER THE 4TH ATTEMPT
THE SCOTCH STARTED TO
TAKE OVER AND WE HAD HIM
THUS, STARTING WITH A DONATION FREE BOAT, I NOW HAD A $27.000 TOP OF THE
LINE, UGLY AS HELL SHARK CAPABLE OF TAKING ME ACROSS THE ATLANTIC AND A
CREW SURLEY FIT AND READY FOR THE MORROW |
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