Phobia-Iraq-Love Trilogy Tale

20. Alabaster Tribute

Many, many years ago

I climbed the stairs at work

To seek an engineer unknown,

To ask him for a berth.

So then upon the quay one day

There stood a motley lot,

But Tony moulded us like dough

To form a winning yacht.

So then for years we forged a soul

To do battle on the seas,

And regularly at seasons close

A trophy we would seize.

Summers came and summers went

As weekends I did crave

To share a joke and a beer

With the new friends I had made.

And then there were the cruises,

Organised to a tee,

Morning snack at ten o' six,

Lunch at twelve fifteen.

But amongst the merriment

Tony always got us home,

There always was a steady hand

As one trip clearly showed.

Tucked in behind an island

The anchor should have been a tree,

We found ourselves quite worst for wear

At the mercy of the sea.

But Tony took the tiller,

Local knowledge it did came,

He found shelter in a tiny cove

That barely had a name.

Then after many races

Commanding from the stern

Tony turned to me and said,

"It's time you had a turn."

So each week I'd approach the line

With a crew as loyal as could be

Proud and honoured that Jude and Tone

Would trust their pride and joy in me.

And then as fate would have it

A change was in the air,

Armin left the foredeck,

I wondered how we'd fair.

Then off to the land of the kiwi bird

As dead as they may be

Enough to give the Dennes the taste

That there's much, much more to see.

So wherever you may travel,

And how ever far you roam,

You always will be in the thoughts

Of the friends you've left at home.

So thank you Jude and Tony

For sharing your yacht and home,

Thanks for all the memories,

And Tony, have a great five-oh.