Pirate Press - "About a Seaman" edition

Seaman

Between the innocence of infancy
and the recklessness of adultery comes that
unique specimen of humanity known as a Seaman.

Seaman can be found in Bars; in Arguments; in Bed;
in Debt and intoxicated.

They are tall, short, fat, thin, dark, fair
but never Normal.

They hate ships' food, chief engineers, writing letters,
sailing onSaturdays and dry ships.

They like receiving mail, pay off day, nudepin-ups,
sympathy, complaining and beer.

A seaman's secret ambition is to change places
with the owner for one trip,to own a brewery and to be loved by everyone in the world.

A seaman is a Sir Galahad in a Japanese brothel,
a psychologist with"Readers' Digest" on the table,
Don Quixote with a discharge book,
the saviour of mankind with his back teeth awash,
Valentino with a fiver in his pocket
and democracy personified in a Red Chinese prison cell.

A seaman is a provider in war and a parasite in peace.
No one is subject toso much abuse, wrongly accused,
so often misunderstood by so many as a seaman.

He has the patience of Job,
the honesty of a fool
and the heaven sent ability to laugh at himself.

When he returns home from a long voyage
no one else but a Seaman
can create such an atmosphere
and laughing as he walks through the door
with the magic words on his lips :

Have you got the Ale in there ?

---

This was found when I went through the backup copy of my files on my computer.
It was taken off my ship many many years ago and re-reading itmade me laugh once again.
Of course, not all written about the seaman is true...
but I would see myself among what was written :)

Have a good read!

Syn