Memories for Keith
Friday, February 15, 2008
Old man, you’re probably upon the sea right now. Pal, thanks as well for sharing this commitment to our country. I’m glad I have another sailor in my world with whom I can relate and share the good memories.
Ah, the olden days. I remember all the crazy times and singing. Keith was a musical nutcase. He believed wholeheartedly in good drunk songs. I don’t do the drunk thing anymore. I’ve given that off, and the social insanity that went with it. But I remember many a night in the pub, singing over a fine pint of Guinness or Newcastle. Singing about pirates or whatever came to mind. I really miss those things, sometimes. I’d probably do them again, were I to have the chance to hang out with my old pal one more time. It was friendship that was honest and didn’t require anything more than friendship.
There are a lot of memories in these old songs. They’re old life, but they still bring me a little of the shadows. Doobie on the boat. Long days (and nights) out on the water, talking with a ukulele craftsman with Jimmy playing in the background. B.C. and tandem ahem at the railroad in Perth. Long hours in the pool in Top End, Australia, 4X floating in the water. Looking for Molly Malone’s pub in every port. Stories with old Breakfield about Jimmy Buffett dropping in on a late-night campfire in VA. We just plain had fun, without a care in the world. That was wonderful. Thanks, Keith, for all the good times. And all you guys, despite all the hard stuff, we did have fun.
Fairytale of New York
.............................................
OR:
O’Leary is dead, and O’Riley don’t know it.
O’Riley is dead, and O’Leary don’t know it.
They’re both lyin’ dead in the very same bed
and neither one knows the other is dead.
.............................................
OR:
Eric Stone. The Mekong Song. from Thailand blues for all of us.
I’ve sung it in Thailand, fifteen thousand miles from my girl.
Barkeep, Another Mekong please
Yes of course, you can keep the change
A new glass here for this new friend of mine
Forgive me, I forgot your name
Flip a coin
What shall we talk about
Heads I tell the truth Tails I lie
I came all the way From Taipei today
Now Bangkok’s pouring rain and I’m going blind again
And I haven’t seen my girl In fifteen thousand miles
Is it true It’s always happy hour here
If it is I’d like to stay a while
And as cliche as it may sound
I’d like to raise another round
And if your bottle’s empty Help yourself to mine
Thank you for your time
And here’s to life
Barkeep We need to go around again
One for me and what’s his name My new best friend
Deal me in
And I’ll pick my cards up off the floor
I’ll see your lucky coin And raise a pack of lies
Smile to the girl at the door
Another 4 dollar whore
But don’t look her in the eyes She’ll break your heart,
We came all the way From Taipei today
Now Bangkok’s pissin’ rain And I’m going blind again
And I haven’t seen my girl In fifteen thousand miles
.............................................
The one song that fits me and Keith when we were ashore on liberty in every port is this one:
A Pirate Looks At Forty
Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call,
Wanted to sail upon your waters
since I was three feet tall.
You’ve seen it all, you’ve seen it all.
Watch the men who rode you,
Switch from sails to steam.
And in your belly you hold the treasure
that few have ever seen,
most of them dreams, most of them dreams.
Yes, I am a pirate two hundred years too late.
The cannons don’t thunder there’s nothin’ to plunder
I’m an over forty victim of fate
Arriving too late, arriving too late.
I’ve done a bit of smugglin’
I’ve run my share of grass.
I made enough money to buy Miami,
But I pissed it away so fast,
Never meant to last, never meant to last.
I have been drunk now for over two weeks,
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks,
But I’ve got to stop wishin’,
Got to go fishin’, I’m down to rock bottom again.
Just a few friends, just a few friends.
I go for younger women, lived with several awhile
And though I ran away, they’ll come back one day.
And still could manage a smile
It just takes awhile, just takes awhile.
Mother, mother ocean, after all these years I’ve found
My occupational hazard being my occupation’s
just not around.
I feel like I’ve drowned,
Gonna head uptown.
Sailor Pride, from
2003
Sailor Pride
This is the work of a dear friend of mine. We served on the same ship for four long years. I'm feeling weird today, so I thought I'd post something different. I added a little, and did as much as I could to edit this. He's not the greatest with English and he'll admit it (much better than you'd get from me). So here it is, in all its glory. Thanks Keith, for everything! You're in my heart and hopefully we'll meet again soon. (No, he's not dead, JEEZ! You people really need to quit being so pessimistic. Keith and his family are just REALLY good friends and we miss 'em.)
I’m a sailor and I’ve sailed completely around the world. I’ve seen men wallowing in filth, enjoying a simple meal, singing, and joking, having a grand time. I’ve seen people enjoying five star meals in the lap of luxury bitch and complain. I’ve drunk in clubs with such luxuries as you will ever see. I’ve drunk in holes in the wall that would make a garbage man sneer. I’ve seen the Sun set over every time zone in the world. I’ve gotten up to see the Sun rise in those same time zones. I have had friends that didn’t speak English, and I sure didn’t understand their language. Hell, some times I didn’t even know what language they were speaking but we could carry an intelligent conversation till the bar kicked us out at dawn. I guess Sailorese is universal. I’ve talked to a man who spoke the Queen’s English and couldn’t understand a word he said. I’ve been swimming in 4 seas, 2 oceans, 2 gulfs, fjords, channels and places I can’t remember. Some of them I forgot by choice. I’ve seen beaches that clothing was frowned on and been to beaches that you would get arrested for indecent exposure while wearing a Speedo. Guess which one I enjoyed most. I’ve been swimming in water that I’ve had to break the ice to get in. I’ve been swimming in water so warm it felt like a bath. I’ve seen top-notch sailors punished for being 15 minutes late while dirt bags were not even required to work any more. I’ve slept in a hammock under the stars to roll over and order a beer at the bar on the beach for breakfast. I’ve slept in 3 star hotels, waking to an English breakfast to start the day. I’ve seen mothers begging for food holding a dead baby and seen classy women shriek at their fat little boys. I have seen Christmas with family and loved ones, alone in homeport, and alone in countries that considered Christianity to be illegal. I’ve had lepers approach me for money and seen a man in a business suit ask for bus fare. I’ve seen buildings as old as the good old US of A looking as if they were lovingly built last year and seen buildings built a month ago look as if they should be condemned. I’ve seen churches older than the city they were in. These were some pretty old cities. To step into them was to go back in time. To touch walls and marvel at the hands that might have lovingly put that stone there so many years ago. I’ve seen love, lust, hate, murder, and death. I’ve helped a man running from the cops for stealing a bit of food and smiled as I’ve locked and loaded a shotgun. I’ve seen the look on a man’s face when he knows he is caught. I’ve had shipmates to whom I wouldn’t give the time of day and enemies I’d give a pack of cigarettes to. I’ve lost respect for friends and respected a man who might have tried to kill me a day later. I’ve drunk mekong in Thailand and Dom Perignon in London. I’ve seen marriages of loving couples break apart. I’ve seen couples that should never be together withstand the test of time. I’ve been a tee-totaler and a drunkard. I’ve fought fires and boarded ships. I’ve been dressed for full combat and wore shorts and an Aloha shirt at sea. I’ve seen water rations for 34 days (that’s one shower in 34 days). I’ve seen four hours of shore leave after four months at sea. I’ve seen women so beautiful they’d make you cry. I’ve seen women who, as pretty as they were, couldn’t get a rise out of a thermometer. I’ve seen the most beautiful this world has to offer and the most ugly. Hell, I’ve seen the proverbial goats, doing it in the market place and a 24 carat gold baby pacifier. I’ve seen the faces of three hundred shipmates, wondering what happened, the day of the attacks and I’ve seen the faces of three hundred allies bowing their heads with compassion at our plight. Of all the things I’ve done, of all the things I’ve seen I have no regrets except three. Having to say good-by to a friend. Having to leave a loved one behind. Having to miss half my son’s life. I’m a sailor and I’ve sailed completely around the world.
Posted by
Pooka on 02/15 at 11:32 AM
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