Ten Days At Sea

[oneighty]

To the laundromat I took my clothes
To wash them clean
In those two quarter washing machines.
Ten days I was on that hard luck boat
My clothes and me we stink like goats.

Others are there just like me.
I take a chair and wait my turn.
I count ten machines against the wall
Their glassy eyes are dirty clothes
Going round and around in those soapy churns.

Long blond hair blue flashing eyes
Adorn the girl sitting next to me.
Not bashful a bit ten days at sea
I smile at her hopefully.
And we drink a Coke from the red machine.

"Hey" she says "I must go
Would you mind please to watch my clothes?"
"Sure" I say happily
Planning ahead for later this day.
I mean, aw what the heck. Ten days at sea.

Graceful she turns quick to leave
Beautiful she is. I be hypnotized.
Her long blond hair blue flashing eyes
Bone white teeth red smiling lips.
Her tight blue jeans caress curving hips.

"Wait." I say "Which are yours
Which machines hold your clothes?"
"Why" she say "All of them against the wall."
"And here's some dimes to get them dry."
"Okay." I say. Ten days at sea.

She clears the door out onto the street
And with her goes one just like me.
A shrimper-man lonely too.
"Thanks" He says grinning wide.
Aw! What the heck. Ten days at sea.

180 St Augustine Fla. 1980 perhaps.


From 'Voyages of the Vicky Mary' Copyright

[Steel City Slim]

1. Yeah

That made me laugh.

[oneighty]

2. Good

I like humor.

Thanks

180

[Steel City Slim]

3. At Sea

I guess you had to spend some time at sea to fully appreciate it.

[oneighty]

4. Especially

on a hard luck shrimp trawler where the Captain feared the ocean and we were slowly starving to death.

Sorta like 'The Sloop John D' I wanna go home this is the worst trip I ever been on.

180

[Steel City Slim]

5. A Captain Who Feared The Ocean?

That's a dangerous situation.

[oneighty]

6. Yes the Captain

He could not swim. He feared the water. His daddy owned the boat and appointed him Captain.

In fact we stayed tied up at the dock most of my time with him waiting for calm weather, clear skies, smooth sailing and the bank foreclosure. hee hee hee

One thing I learned as a fisherman;

"Do not listen to marine forecasts or you will never leave the dock."

And you will go broke.

180

[JitterbugPerfume]

7. well, if I had been that girl

I would have left with YOU