Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Pirates are Coming, the Pirates are Coming!


I should not be telling these tales, but you need to know that I was with a band of scurvy pirates, who, on three days past, sailed their ship up into the mouth of the Hillsboro Bay and landed on the banks of the Town of Tampa, a city known for its easy spoils.  Indeed, this town is such an easy mark, we’ve come calling many times.

After our ship landed, we marched straight into the town; along a road the local inhabitants call “Bayshore Boulevard”, which borders the bay.  Such a foolhardy design for a road, I must say, without a wall for protection.  It leaves the town with no defenses.

As we begin our march, the townspeople line the street, cowering in fear; merely watching and taking no action to stop our invasion.  Oddly, these people seem to revel in the defenseless position in which they find themselves.

The young wenches are especially easy in this town and have been known to do naughty things for mere trinkets, such as a string of pearls, and they care not that these necklaces bear the label, “Made in China”.

As we enter the town, there is a festive atmosphere, as the townspeople break out the grog and food, aplenty.  And the wenches and their envious men abandon their reticence and join us in our victory celebration.  


I wrote the post for the Week 62 Trifecta Writing Challenge where we are to write a 33-333 word composition using the word “mouth” in the context of something that resembles a mouth, such as where a stream enters a body of water. 

I described an actual event which took place last Saturday, which is the Annual Gasparilla invasion, a tradition in Tampa which began in 1904, when a group of men dressed as pirates invaded the city on horseback.  The story goes that these men were bored and were looking for an excuse for a party.  Today, we have a “real” pirate ship made from a barge and about 200,000 to 300,000 people come to see the parade.  

And yes, we are standing in front of a SUV, not our pirate ship.

Your comments are appreciated.

33 comments:

  1. Brilliant! First of all you did a grand job leading us forward with 'vague' information...making me believe a historical account! I then noticed the 'time switch' in your account -clever, very..and enjoyed the factual account. Great, just great costumes I must say!

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  2. Thank you for all those nice comments. Glad you noticed the switch in time. I've been experimenting with this though I'm sure my grammar teachers would be appalled. However, I must take issue, kind sir, with your use of the term "costume". These are my every day clothes for the office! :)

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  3. Absolutely outrageous, lumdog!!! Or should I say, Jack Sparrow?

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    1. Thank you kymm. We view Jack as a newbie but he is welcome to join in. ;)

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  4. Well, this was fun. You had me going at the start. I love your pirate voice. And the easy young wench paragraph with the necklaces made in china - hilarious. Bored pirates that just wanted to party - I think a lot of traditions get started that way. Nice job, lumdog!

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    1. Thank you so much Steph. I had to work on the pirate voice so I really appreciate that comment. I tried to avoid all the cliches and still sound piratey! :)

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  5. Great pirate voice and loved the "made in China" necklaces. Fun read but an even better time had by the pirates and their wenches, me thinks!

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    1. To be sure, our krewe had a grand time with the wenches. A bit too much grog made for a rough sail out of the harbour. Thank you for those words, kind Lady Gina.

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  6. What more to say, but...Go Bucs?!!

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    1. Well...sad to say, but the Bucs have already gone, not to return to these harbours until next season! :( Thank you Jody.

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  7. That sounds like a blast! And your description of it made me laugh.

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    1. Thank you Annabelle. We always have a good time. ;)

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  8. aaargh, what whale of a tale, matey....

    I'll walk the plank now.

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    1. No need to walk the plank. The scurvy will get ye soon enough! Thanks Lance.

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  9. This event sounds like such a great time! I wanna be a pirate lol

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Yeah, it's fun to be a pirate. Thanks Draug.

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  10. Okay Bluebeard, that was just pure awesomeness. I love me some pirates. My broke butt may have to stowaway on their vessel the next time the event comes around so this wench can get in on the loot erm, I mean fun.

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    1. Ye can stowaway anytime ;) Thank you for your piratey comments.

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  11. naughty wenches and envious men . . . aye-yup! :)

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    1. Aye to you Lady Barbara. Thank you for those words and symbols of support, I think! ;)

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  12. Ooh, Ive never met a real pirate before!

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  13. I enjoyed this! Never seen a pirate in my land-locked state :)

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    1. Thank you Janna. We could always invade on horseback in your neck of the woods. :)

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  14. Ships in harbour ;-)Pirates & naughty wenches!Ha!ha!My mind went off in totally censored places,great piece Lumdog-enjoyed it

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  15. Ha! Naughty defenseless wenches and all. To the victor goes the spoils.

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  16. Do you know how to do one of those smiley faces rolling their eyes? My shivers are timbering...and I actually had a shirt just like the scurvy dog on the left... 35 years ago.

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    1. Sounds like you threw that shirt away. Too bad. But I can put you in touch with a local wench who can make anything you want! :). Thanks Ted.

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