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Pirates in Paradise 2008 - Key West, Fl

Ship in outline at sunset in Key West (Photo: Nicole Andreyko, Callahan Digital Art)
One of the many lovely sunset pictures.

Michael Bagley firing at sunset from the Fort Wall
(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.

Greg Hudson and Mark Gist serenading us
(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.)

The burnt out lantern
(Photo: Thatchers)
Fire buckets by the trash after the catastrophe
(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).


Hamish with his bottle
(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!

Greg Hudson and his guitar on the beach in Key West
(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.

Red Jessi on the fort wall
(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.


The Bone Island Buccaneers in Ole Zach's Tavern
(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.

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