Invaded by Pirates!

Recently, a somewhat mysterious missive appeared on the dinner table from Mr. Anonymous, addressed to everyone, and when opened the gist of the contents stated that everyone was to arrive at the breakfast table on the morrow in good time.

Hmmm…kind of vague but certainly exciting. Breakfast time the next morning found everyone promptly in their places. Mr. Anonymous of the evening before soon declared himself in the form of an invitation to a Pirate Party that night hosted by Gracine and Eva. If anybody did not arrive on time they were to be marooned to their bunks (bedrooms).

With this pleasant precaution, we were all handed a black bundle of ‘booty’ which was not to be opened until we dressed for the party that night.

When the time for the party arrived, 11 swarthy pirates poured on deck swaggering on their newly acquired sea legs. Aye, matey, and there weren’t a landlubber left in sight… ‘cept maybe me granny’s dog who halooed at the rare sight of us! What with cutlasses, boots, belts, ear rings a-tinklin’, necklaces and of course patches, hooks and stump legs (it was quite a sight to watch pirates with only one good arm and leg scale the staircase!) we made a mighty raggle-taggled looking crew, alright.

Then heave ho! the party got under sail with games; and mighty good ones they were too. Such as Gin Rummy, “pin the patch on the pirate” and instead of “Button, Button who has the Button” we light hearted pirates played “Black Spot, Black Spot who has the Black Spot”. Winners won prizes of gold chocolate coins and all to a robust chorus of Yo-ho-hoing.

The final game before the cap’n rang the bell for supper was ‘walk the plank’. Shiver me timbers this ‘twas a blithe one! an’ most certain no place for a Jack Tar without sea legs. Every one of us Sea Dogs were made to draw a piece of paper from a hat where upon were inscribed common mishaps that happen to pirates, such as “Lost right leg” or “No right arm”. Then, whate’er plight ailed ye, ye would have to walk the plank (a 2X4 piece of wood about 12 feet long laid out on the floor) without so much as a touchin’ the ground on either side.

An’ ye would have to do it smartly or yer next matey might lick yer time clean with a squint of his weathered eye…Savvy?

The first paper I drew blinded my left eye but, what with both sea legs and arms still intact, I skipped ‘cross that plank with hardly a thought to my shut left eye, aye, an’ did it so down right swiftly that mor’n one matey who’d drawn a limb losin’ paper were wiped clean out of the race by my smart score.

So far this were pretty good sailin’…that is until my next paper told me my other eye’d been blinded too. With arms flailing wildly, it didn’t take long before I slipped off the plank, first on one side, then the other and then out of the race.

Aye, but my eye! didn’t we laugh till our sides nigh split at the sight of one legged pirates hoppin’ cross that board, arms a flailin’ and a flappin’ when suddenly, “Avast there mateys! Suppertime.”

Into the galley we steered and ho! weren’t the board rigged up mighty pretty like; what with glass bottles, doubloons, shells and the like. Aye, Aye it were done down right goodly an’ we hove to most handsomely after first asking the blessing, a very un-piratical thing to do by the way, on sea biscuits (homemade buttermilk biscuits), drumsticks and freshly cut vegetables which one lively pirate ludicrously christened “Scurvy-Preventative” washing it all down with mighty swigs of cold water from our glass bottles.

As the grub disappeared, so did hooks, patches, mustaches and the overall pirate appearance began to sink somewhat but, spirits in no way lagged! Mighty cheers, toasts and gales of laughter shook the whole table from one end to the other.

But what kind of a pirate party would it have been without treasure? So of course there was a treasure chest nigh’ filled to busting with glitterin’ loot in the form of caramel popcorn balls an’ gold chocolate coins.

Aye, t’was a mighty fine time, it t’was, and after the decks were cleared of dirty dishes, the pirates weighed anchor for the night and with hearty cheers rolled into their bunks, light-hearted, jovial and clean tuckered out from the merriment and wit of the pleasant party.

Ahhh, that Pirate Party was lots of fun, alright. A mighty hearty “Thank you” to Gracine and Eva for dreaming up this Pirate Party. A downright, goodly demonstration of where imagination can take you…and what fun it can provide for all! -By Anna McFie