In The Blood

by Lee S. Wilbur

“Why don’t you make me an offer on my boat I can’t refuse,” says my next door neighbor, Herb Peterson here in Florida. “Pat’s been after me to either sell it or have the dump guys take it away.”

“Well, Herb, I’ve been looking at your boat for five years now, wondering what you were planning to do with it. AJ thinks it’s an eyesore and that I should be a good neighbor. Go over, spray bleach on it, and at least clean off the black mold. Let me think it over. I’ll get back to you.” Herb’s unfortunately had to use a walker for some years and was an avid fisherman who still misses being on the water.

Now I’ve got a problem with boats. Have had since I was a young kid building toy boats in my Dad’s cellar workshop. He’d say, “Why don’t you build something else besides boats all the time?” I couldn’t answer. Then, of course, had a boatbuilding company for some 30 years and built big toy boats. I still look at abandoned boats like I did with our “Helen J” and an eye towards how they can be brought back to life. Kind of like the restaurant business, never quits your psyche.

Last year, happened to be in a junk yard down here looking for a part for my T&C Chrysler Van (1996) when I spied a boat at the far end of the yard. Had to see it. A 23' Stamas built in Tarpon Springs. Good boat. Brutally built. Engine was laying in pieces in the cockpit. Had to move an overly encumbered piece of plywood just to get a better look. Wasn’t in bad shape at all. All the windows were good. No holes. Just looked like it needed another good used engine and one of my 20' paint jobs. So, I asked Reggie, the yard owner, what it would take to get it out of his way. I could see I had his attention real quick.

“Well,” he says after thinking he’s talking to a real live one here and a few second’s hesitation, “How about you give me $250, and I’ll keep the engine.”

“But, Reggie,” I reply, “I’ll need the engine for a core to trade for another rebuilt.”

Head cocks to one side, looks me over again. Knew by then he wanted it out of his way. “Well.... tell you what.... give me a hundred dollars, and I’ll even help you load it.”

Reason returned before I could help Reggie, but I’ve agonized over that boat for well over a year now. And, if I had had a place to work on it other than AJ’s front lawn, I would have had him “help me load it.” So, Herb’s offer was coming at a vulnerable time. I’d been covertly eyeing his 17' Carolina Skiff with a 60hp motor all along. And now there was a valid excuse. My good friend Dick Fortune, ex-of Fortune Sail and Canvas company, needed a project or he was going to drive wife Mary, crazy. We could buy it together and I’d get points. Mary’s a great cook.

With the Fortune’s blessing and a week in the passing so Herb wouldn’t think I was too eager, I called the Peterson’s and said I’d like to come over and see if I could afford to find a new home for his “Skiff.”

Trepidatiously, not wanting to offend too deeply my good neighbors, yet looking for the deal

Dick and I could get by the respective spouses (The Skiff really looked skin deep “Bad”), I made an offer of $350.

“Oh no,” Herb comes back with all the pain he could muster. I’m thinking, “Damn he’s going where we can’t travel.” And immediately he finishes. “I’ve got to have at least five hundred.”

Aha, now we could have some fun, as I layed out all the work the skiff will need, the hours of cleaning, a paint job, the motor may need work, and I’m trying to keep a poker face though I can already see it in the water.

“$400, Herb.”

The requisite 30 seconds slip by.

“$450.”

“Geez, Herb, I don’t know.” And we trip back and forth. “That’s pretty steep.”

“Well,” he says, “I want you to have the boat, but I’d really like to get $500, so I’ll tell you what we’ll do. Give me $500 and you can have lifetime use of the lift.”

Now I’m here to tell you, Mother didn’t raise a foolish son. I wasn’t long in saying “Done Deal.”

If Reggie had given me a place to work on the Stamas, Dick and I would probably have a two boat friendship at this place in time. Luckily for our marriages, he didn’t. I just don’t know, however, what Herb meant by “Lifetime” and so far, with the Skiff sitting in the lift, sporting a fresh coat of gorgeous “Chris Craft Blue,” new cushions “By Fortune” coming down, and awaiting a new water pump, sexy name and Lord knows what else, we just might take a ride upon the water before trekking back to Maine in May. We’ll worry about “lifetime use” next year.

The following is a loosely named Mediterranean Chicken dish which evolved from an appetizer we’d enjoyed a year or so ago. And, one AJ has made me swear to secrecy, perhaps, to be divulged at a later date when any and all who’ve been to the house have tried.

* R E C I P E *

3 de-boned and skinned meaty chicken thighs

Handful of cherry tomatoes

One half sweet onion sliced thin Half cup seeded Kalamata olives, chopped

1 T. chopped fresh parsley

2 T. olive oil plus

Red wine

Slice thighs sideways into two filets each and fry in med-high heat pan with 2 T. olive oil until just cooked and a bit browned. Set aside. Over low heat simmer the onion rings until soft. Set these aside with the thighs and deglaze pan with a few tablespoons of the red wine. Add back a goodly dollop of oil and add the tomatoes at low to med. heat and cook until beginning to pop open. Return the onions and thighs along with the parsley and olives. Bring to temperature and serve with white rice or a pasta.

Fair Winds and Good Roads
– Lee S. Wilbur

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