Sea Legs...
From time to time I enjoy extended periods of sailing at sea. The periods of aloneness,
periods of earthly delight and some periods filled with just enough fear to make you attentive to your task. Some feelings I carry when I leave the shore but when packaged with different sensations makes you perceive those feelings a little differently. Your being needs those moments for better footing as we make our way through our life journey. Each trip always brings its own surprise. Something different.
For me, the one sensation that always remains the same has been the first few steps I take when I touch solid ground after the adventure. Sea legs, I think they call it. A step or two and it's gone, and then there are other times it lingers a spell. I like it when it lingers a spell.
I step off the boat at a place called Oyster Creek. Not much there, really. Just a small hut for the Harbor Master, lots of crab traps, netting and a few deck hands unloading their catch and preparing for another run at the shrimp this night. There is a small bar at the head of the dock...it's called Molly B'S. One small burned out neon light announces her presence. As best as I could tell it once said "welcome." I point my sea legs toward her opening and make my way in to be greeted by an ole' lady behind the bar.
"Good evening Carl,"...seemed she called everybody Carl. She was leaning on a horse head cane and wearing a mischievous look. "Need to wet your whistle a bit?" She asked.. "It's Ale, don't serve no beer here. I have two kinds, dark or light."
She made me smile and we told each other a few of those get you in trouble stories. Seems she had out lived two husbands...said "you know two is enough and three would be too many."
She asked what I was doing in these parts? "Just trying to change my latitude a bit dear lady," I responded.
She smiled and asked..."Going to save any of those changes?" "You know as we get older I don't think we develop more patience, I think we just don't give a damn about the pointless drama."
We continued our friendship for a couple of Ale's. I hated to end our conversation, as I always do with a person of strong character.
As I departed, I heard her say, "Doc, never look back, it might distract you and them sea legs from the now."
I never looked back, but I did tip my hat to Molly B. and from somewhere in my mind remembered a little tune by John Prine...
The last time that I saw her
She was standing in the rain
With her overcoat under her arm
Leaning on a horse head cane
She said, "Carl, take all the money"
She called everybody Carl
My spirit's broke
My mind's a joke
and getting up's real hard
Come back to us Barbra Lewis...
Somewhere from the sea...
