Mose and Me Catch Some Oysters

Before Christmas time twenty five years or so back Moses and me set out on a freezing foggy morning to 'Catch' some oysters. All the flat surfaces on the wooden dock at the South Carolina Crab Company dock were covered with slick almost ice almost water.

Out we were to catch some oysters make some Christmas money. In the dark of very early morning we lost our bearings and ran our twenty fool long bateau hard aground on a falling tide.

Mose has brought with us a 'fire bucket'-a five gallon steel bucket open at the top and with holes punched in the bottom sides for air to enter. A layer of sand and shell covered the inside bottom to prevent setting the bateau afire. He had filled the bucket with pine wood. Moses pours a good bit of gasoline into the bucket wetting the pine wood. He then pulled out some matches strikes one to life inserts it into the bucket and the fire starts with a gentle "Whooooffff".

So Mose and I huddle over the smoky fire and trade between us the pint of Vodka. We wait for the day to pass the tide to fall and rise again. We have a long wait. Moses says; "Dere be no oystah today." Soon the sun came up and the fog lifts and we find our selves right next to a large oyster bank.

About fifty bushels of oysters later we head back to the dock. Our bateau is overloaded and leaking badly. I steer the boat with one hand and bail out the water with a cut away clorox bottle. Moses is bailing too.

"Hey Moses." I ask; "Do you believe in the Jesus story and all?" He smiles his big Moses smile teeth glistening white contrasting with his black face; "He gie us de oystah Cap'n."

Whenever I tried the gasoline in the 'fire bucket'thing the fire lighted "BOOM FLASH", not the gentle 'Wooofff' Moses got. Moses had the touch. Yes he did. Moses left us about ten years ago.

I miss my friend Moses.

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What a lovely memory you have shared. I can sense the chill, damp fog and hear the whoosh - and feel the loss of your friend. RIP, Moses.

Of course, when you write like that, 180, Moses isn't far away.

of stories about Moses and the creeks. I had a hard time understanding his Gullah patois. Once he is pointing to a point of land he wanted me to steer the 'Bo'et' to.

He points saying; "De pint de pint." I search in our bushel basket of supplies and find the pint of Vodka hand it to him. Moses say; "You crazy man." Moses often tells me I am crazy.

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Great stuff!

How you been?

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and see what is worth salvaging and what is not...

I have been catching your stuff over in the other forum, as always... good, lean writing...

I have been missing it all this time?

I need to get out more.

Thanks.

Why, lookee thar! We have a writing forum.

I guess there's more to the world than the Lounge and GD.

I need to broaden my horizons a little. Okay, a lot.

Thanks for the info.

What a sweet, gentle and eloquent gift you have.......

Blessings on you for sharing it with the rest of us.....

We are lucky to be in your orbit, my dear...


I could hear the whoosh of the fire catching; I could see the fog lifting, and the scene revealed before me as it did you.

I thank you.

:pals:

Katrina done took 'em away.
No oyster poboy,
No etouffee.
Katrina done took 'em away.
:-(

i'd et him all day ifn I could
put 'em on cracker with some spice
wash dem down with beer on ice
man I tell ya' ain't nothin' better
special in time of chilly weather

I was just wondering where you been.

Trof and Fishnfla both got a story or two in 'Voyages of the Vicky Mary'

Dey be tellin fishin oystering stories too when dey wants.

Hey how you are doing?

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been enjoying your words again. Unlike most fishermens, you dont tell no blind tales.

:hi: How are you doing?

Or the hurricains

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just happier to see you around is all. I got a tale for you over there.

Thank you so muh for posting these. You really should write a book of short stories yanno?

:hug:

of the time i got grounded in the fog overnight one time. i sure wish i had been able to start a safe fire to stay warm - whether a BOOM FLASH or a gentle wooofff. it got mighty cold sleeping under a wet sail.

thanks for sharing a story oneighty! you know i am one of your biggest fans!

for your reading of my 'KAZUKO' Ms. Shugah.

And of course your opinion.

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