Another successful Outer Banks Fishing Trip . . . thanks to Whitney and everyone else on this year's rather light team of fishermen . . . here are a few things that happened (or might have happened or almost happened) and some notes for next year:
1) I got hit in the genitals by a stray frisbee, thrown by Rob, who might be trying to take me out (as Rob, Whitney and I are the only fishermen who have perfect attendance);
2) best water ever;
3) we were chastised at Tortuga's for clapping and cheering too passionately for a little league baseball game on the TV . . . Jersey Phenom!
4) we learned that the bartender who chastised us for clapping too much while "families are eating lunch" was actually mad at the kitchen for not making him a sandwich and took it out on us;
5) Friday morning Jerry, Rob and I almost played tennis (and Whitney almost almost played tennis but he forgot his racket back in Norfolk);
6) Saturday morning, we actually played tennis, and while I like tennis and Jerry, Rob and I had a good time, the real motivation was my wife's face when I packed the tennis gear . . . the face she made said: all you old guys do is sit around and drink beer and maybe wade into the water, there's no way you're going to play tennis . . . and so while tennis is fun, proving my wife wrong is priceless;
7) Brewmanji . . . a drinking game that involved a bottle cap, the top of a cardboard pizza box, and a magic marker;
8) cornhole on the beach, cornhole tournament with randomized partners, and surprise cornhole aptitude by ringer Matt Rodell . . . but we did NOT have new cornhole bags;
9) we ordered entrees as appetizers at Tortugas and cut them up tapas style . . . Bajan burger bites and Coco Loco chunks;
10) McWhinney surfed;
11) Whitney brought a bucket of music . . . a stereo system consisting of a cell-phone in a bucket;
12) Whitney, in a hungover haze on Saturday, used his bottle of Red Stripe as a condiment . . . he thought he was grabbing a bottle of hot sauce, but it was his beer, which he poured all over his fish taco . . . he said it didn't taste too bad;
13) we did not pound any deck nails but Paci fixed the shower door;
14) Rob's poison ivy was aesthetically unpleasing and did not fit the beach theme;
15) next year, everyone needs to bring a tennis racket;
16) after twenty two years at the Martha Wood cottage, we finally figured out how to use the coffee maker;
17) when I got up at 4 AM on Thursday morning to drive to Jerry's house in Arlington, and Whitney and Gormley were just going to bed in Norfolk, and it took me eleven hours to get back to Jersey on Sunday . . . there's got to be a better mode of transport to get down there . . . a boat? . . . anyway, thanks again to all in attendance, Whitney for hosting, the Martha Wood cottage for remaining, and another year of good weather.
For #14, maybe people with skin afflictions can wear a mirror so they can see themselves and understand what you're going through when you have to look at them.
ReplyDeleteNo idea why Rob is still friends with you.
next year will be TWENTY four, which is absurd. and he did look like a leper and hit me in the junk with a frisbee
ReplyDeletei hit dave in the junk with a (perfectly thrown) frisbee because i knew he'd cast aspersions on my affliction. i feel like the sacrifice i made to play tennis with him and sweat profusely with a torso covered in ivy rash calls for a bit more compassion.
ReplyDeletenoted, amidst the good times, there was much suffering on the obft
ReplyDelete