My facebook feed brought me a little “joy” today. This popped up…
I’m big on the “joy” so I shared it. Others were amused. Who wouldn’t be? Haven’t we all wanted to be a Pirate at some point in our lives? For some, it was during our formative years. For others, it was after their first encounter with Johnny Depp as the swashbuckling pirate Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates Of The Caribbean. Men wanted to be him, woman just wanted him.
It’s a funny thing but I truly do feel a little bit like a Scallywag every time I get behind the wheel of our car. He-Who and I have both driven since we were old enough to legally (I can neither confirm nor deny that this may have been a little sooner). We have both always had our own vehicle. During the blight that was COVID it became obvious that there was no point in having two vehicles. After all, we were going nowhere. We were both working from home. I was paying way too much for a parking spot in Etobicoke and of course there was insurance, plates and basic maintenance. We ended up donating my vehicle to Kars4Kids, a registered Jewish charity dedicated to addressing the educational, emotional and spiritual needs of children and their families. We got a tax credit, fewer bills and maybe did a little good for some kids.
To be honest, that first year we barely noticed. There just weren’t a lot of places to go and if there was an outing we were usually together. We lived in a high rise in a big city. Our parking was underground so we didn’t even see the car for long periods. Last year we moved back to the area I call “home”, the Niagara Region. We are in a small village called Stevensville. Driving is our only option for most of our outings. Now we find ourselves having to schedule the use of the car. Neither one of us is happy to be the one left behind with no escape. It doesn’t matter that we have nothing planned or nowhere to go, if you are the one sitting at home you want that car in the driveway just so you know that you could go if you wanted to. So, now this Old Sea Dog feels like a Pirate hornswoggling the vessel. It won’t be long before I pull up in front of my friends house and shout, “Ahoy, ye Matey! All hands on deck” while poor He-Who will be watching out the window muttering, “Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!”.
Johnny Depp aside, the whole Pirate thing can be a lot of fun. I’m going to keep practicing and maybe I’ll be fluent by the time International Talk Like A Pirate Day rolls around on September 19/2023. Keeping in the “spirit” of things, a little grog aka rum might help with that one. Personally, in my case it will be scotch but that’s not very Piratey. For the wee ones (if you have any around) I would suggest a wonderful story by Mike Allegra called Pirate & Penguin. 
Mike writes terrific stories for kids and I have to say they bring me “joy” as well.
Avast, ye Mateys, being a Pirate can be fun for the whole family. Unless, of course you’re the one left behind muttering, “Aaaarrrrgggghhhh!” Shiver me timbers, I’ll be walking the plank if I keep this up.
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