there is a shipmate I have out here that is about

as old as I am. We're the old goats out here.

We're bickered for years, and we hope to bicker for quite a few more years.

Truth is, we get along just fine.

The first time our current skipper watched it happen he was a little dubious, but quickly realized it was just for show and that we were a pretty good team. FOr a brief time it annoyed him, but now it is just music to his ears.

The younger guys are pretty amused watching the 2 old goats out here rant and rave at each other like a couple of little kids, which is fine.

I'm always telling him not to break my deck line when he has to pull on them, which is ridiculous as we're talking about a guy about sixty pulling on a poly-dacron deck line about 2.5 inches in diameter.

Another time I told a new guy to stand clear of old Lefty because when he gets to pulling on a line he sucks all the oxygen out of the air and he'd most likely pass out. The kid stepped back about fifteen feet, much to the amusement of the rest of the guys.

One time I took a length of deck line that had parted and instead of splicing it, I joined it with duct tape. Then I handed the end to Lefty. Of course, when he pulled on it, it broke, and when it did I chewed out Lefty for busting yet ANOTHER one of my decklines.

The looks of astonishment by the rest of the crew were quickly replaced with sheepish looks as they quickly realized they had been conned by a couple of old salts.

Enter the newbie.

He tried to side with me once and I bit his head off.

Of course, he got all hurty and wimpered off and decided to side with Lefty the next time, only to get his head bit off again by Lefty. The crew was greatly amused, and the following day one of the guys told the newbie that he'd watched the 2 of us for quite a while and warned him never to get between the pair of us.

Guys like Lefty are a joy to work with. They make coming out here fun.

I've been here in my present capacity for twenty years and without someone like Lefty it would be nowhere near as much fun as it is.

Guys like him make the world go round.





my other blog is:

http://piccolosbutler.blogspot.com/