Pirates in Paradise 2008 - Key West, Fl
(Photo: Nicole Andreyko, Callahan Digital Art)
One of the many lovely sunset pictures. |
(Photo: Jessica Bagley)
Chapter 6th - Evening on Friday, highlighting the
priming of the pumps, a jam session in the
extra-Ordinary, a walk with every Pirate's Pirate - Patrick Hand - and
telling of the further drinking and the discussions that resulted
thereof.
12/5/08, Evening After dinner, I guided Michael "Mickey" Souris (left) to a liquor store in town. Upon entering, he couldn't locate the exact rum he had been requested to purchase, so he found a helpful store clerk who guided him to the rum aisle. Still not finding the requested elixir, the store clerk called another liquor store to check and see if they had the desired rum, which, of course, they didn't. (I suspect she actually called her house and pretended to be calling some other liquor store when asking for the rum. I can just hear the other end of the line now... "The whoosit with the whatsit? What time are you getting off tonight, hon?")
Above left: Michael Souris ponders wondrous things...the sunset, black powder, PiP...and where to buy rum.
(Photo: Jessi)
Back at the fort we found a jam session occurring in the Sealkie's Hide
which is my new temporary favorite place on earth. It seems Captain Jim
and Vendor Extraordinaire Greg from the Weeping Heart/Hudson Bay Trading
Company (right) broke out their dueling acoustic guitars. I sat and listened awhile to
Buffet, James Taylor and other seventies tunes, which they sang quite
well, missing only a few verses. (Not that I would know very well.)
I left the Hide to follow Patrick to the cigarette store, which, from a My Feet! perspective was probably a bad choice. Nevertheless, Patrick made up for this by explaining how the universe actually worked, particularly in regard to re-enacting. I would tell you this secret, but then someone in your local area would then have to kill you. (It's not worth the airline ticket to wherever you are for me to do it personally.)
(Photo: Thatchers)
(Photo: Mission)
We came back to the jam session, joined by Mark Gist and his fiddle (above
right). I sat starry-eyed (for there were lots of stars out) and listened. The Hide
was getting quite packed until one of Willie Wobble's hanging lanterns fell
and caught his table on fire. Someone in the Hide yelled
"Fire!" and everyone dashed to Willie's to help by getting in
the way, but Willie had already kicked the lantern away (left) with few ill
effects. We all milled about discussing the dangers of fire and canvas
for awhile. A few went back to the Hide to continue the song (Leaving
on a Jet Plane by John Denver),
to which Greg appeared to remember several of the correct lyrics. The
next day, the Willie Wobble Memorable Fire Bucket Brigade was established
in the center of camp (right).
(Photo: Cpt. Sophia)
I talked with Salty for a bit and found out that this was Hamish's
second event. She couldn't sleep for worry about the canvas catching fire
and the baby so we chatted about this and that.
Callenish has done 7 or 8 events this year which is down from his usual 12 - 15 because of the travel costs. Callenish sells magnificent guns, as I have been told by several pub members. Salty assured me that her "ass over teakettle" wound was fine. They were very glad they were able to make the trip.
Right: It's good to be the King!
(Photo: "Poppa Ratsey" Callahan, Callahan Digital Art)
I also spoke with Greg at length, although I must confess that my rum befogged
brain had obscured some of the discussion tonight. It turns out that HB
are his initials (actually Hudson, I think) and his wife's name
(something that starts with a B that I have long since forgotten).
Weeping Heart is a symbol he believed to be French, but later found out
wasn't, but since he committed to the symbol, he stuck by his choice.
Greg has been doing the re-enactor gig for 24 years, working a great deal with Rev War reenacting. He leads his own company of 50 or 60 men in Kentucky (which sounds just frightening. Er, the company part, not the Kentucky part.). He actually met his wife at a re-enactment many years ago. They have been married for a number of years I have also forgotten. Whatever the number, it's impressive and it makes me think Rev War leads to long-lasting relationships, a study I will completely fail to undertake in the next year. She sews and he does leather work, so when you see the Weeping Heart symbol, you know you are getting a quality, long-term couple product.
(Photo: Red Jessi)
Back at the Hide, I spent a long time talking with Red
Jessi about clinical psychology. I must confess (as I did to her) that
clinical psychology has never interested me much, despite the fact that I
have been studying undergrad psych for the last few years. However, Jessi
has just finished her Masters and is considering working toward her
doctorate and made it almost sound fun. Almost. She is one of those very
rare women who sort of seems to make sense to me, which probably has a great deal to do
with my arriving back at the condo at 1:30.
Captain Jim later joined our conversation and the discussion turned toward the differences we perceived between men and women psychologically. Jim proved to be quite an apt playmate in the conversation.
Right: Red Jessi on the wall of the fort at sunset.
(Photo: Red Jessi)
Left: A photo containing some of the Bone Island Buccaneers in
at night in the Tavern. (Admittedly, this photo is a total cheat as far as the Journal goes -
sorry about that, but I couldn't find an photo of the actual event. You
gets what'cher pays for, after all...)
In that photo, from left: Robin, Harry (behind her) unknown, Jose Santiago de le Muerta los Twiekend al a Kazaam etc., right front, Scarlett Jai, Captain Spike & the Pirate Xmas Carol singing Silver Hawk.
The night kind of ended for me when the Bone Island Buccaneers showed up in the form of Leatherback and the lovely Scarlett Jai. She complained that I had called her Scarlett Rai on the pub, which is no doubt true. This wouldn't have bothered her except that her crew thought this was really funny and started teasing her about it. (Sorry, Scarlett. I could have called you Scarlett Kai. Or Melvin.) Then Harry and Spike showed up in the Hide and things just degenerated from there. They brought some really good rum with them as well. However, Red Jessi had a flask of something that was even better - tasting vaguely of butterscotch and other good things. She said it was Ron Atlantico Private Cask, and I think Ron had even signed the bottle.
Harry attempted to go back to his trailer, taking the extremely long way...in fact it would be the round the world way since he was going in the opposite direction. I had had more than enough fun at this point, so I followed him and helped him turn him around and get him going back towards his trailer. (He has to work tomorrow, ya' know.) I then biked back to my condo and here I am typing to you. Huh. It's 2 am.