Voyages of the Vicky Mary

[oneighty]

Vicky Mary is anchored up in Bull Bay. A North Carolina shrimp trawler is tied astern. It is a hot pleasant summer afternoon. The ocean breeze holds the biting insects at bay. The shrimper from the trawler astern (Joe) has a charcoal grill which he brings to the Vicky Mary. We charcoal steaks, drink Millers beer. After eating we do a little fishing, catching only salt water cat fish and blue crabs. Not much fun till Joe hooks into a big one. He fights the fish a few minutes,jerks it up out of the water, it is a big cat fish. The fish flys free of the hook, rises up into the air, tumbles back to the deck, lands on the top of Joe's bare foot. The cat's spine goes through Joe's foot into the wooden deck, nailing him there.

Joe shouts out (*&^%$%^&) bends down , grasps the thrashing fish and pulls him out of his foot. There is very little blood. Joe is in great pain. "Got any tobacco?" Joe asks. I hand him a cigar that been on the Vicky Mary a year or so. Joe chews up a big chunk of cigar, makes a paste of tobacco and spit, applies it to top and bottom of the wound and wraps it tight with a torn up tee-shirt. We continue drinking Millers and talking shit. The wild life boat pulls up along side the Vicky Mary. Buster, the officer says "Ed I am watching you, do not set your net out till sunrise." "Aw, Buster I would not do that, break the law." I tell him. "Sure Ed." He leaves us.

Day light fades, night falls. I take some sleeping gear up on top of my Vicky Mary's cabin. I lay back and stare at the stars. Sleep comes easy to a peaceful mind. It never occures to me that in my sleep I might roll off the cabin top and into the sea to be gone forever.

To be continued. Maybe.

180

[joeybee12]

1. Short story or novel?

[oneighty]

2. Many

Short and true stories taking place on my "Vicky Mary" in the seventies-eighties.

Vicky Mary was a "Harkers Island" built boat. Beautiful lines, very sea worthy. Her primary duty was as a hydraulic clam dredge. She did not complain about going to sea shrimping, or dragging an oyster dredge. She hated being tied up to the dock growing old and useless. Hurricane Hugo killed her.

Ed

[joeybee12]

3. Sorry to hear Hugo got her--are you trying to write professionally?

I'm always curious--I write in my spare time.

[oneighty]

4. Check your PM

Ed