Storytime with Papa Wes
40 + years ago, I was a firefighter in the town I still live in. Two other firefighter and I planned a 2 day fishing/camping trip down to Mustang Island on the Gulf of Mexico. We would take Bob’s truck since he had a slide in camper and his boat.
We got off shift at 0700 and had everything ready. Bob drove first as we headed south. Somewhere near Seguin, we were detoured on a road that was not on our planned route. 20 minutes later we were stuck in mud going up a hill. There were several other cars also stuck. Out we go helping the others first and then finally working on our truck and trailer.
An hour and a half later, we finally get back on the road, covered in mud. It’s a three hour trip to the coast and at three hours, we had barely made it 20 miles. Off we go again. It’s now around 1130 and Bob says he is hungry. He asked if I would drive. He and Howie would get in the back and make food.
I’m cursing around at the speed limit and making progress. Then I look in the mirror to see Howie standing on the tailgate, peeing while I’m doing 70 mph. I just shook my head and kept going. A little bit later I see smoke wafting from the back of the tailgate. I slow down and roll my window down. I yell back to see if everything is ok. I’m told it’s fine and to keep going for another 15-20 minutes and then pull over.
When I pull over and park, I walk back to see that they had the grille going and had cooked hamburgers on the tailgate while I was driving down the highway. I just shook my head and grabbed a burger. Bob drove the rest of the way to what I will call “Mosquito State Park” where we set up camp.
We were there to go fishing so off we go. we launch the boat, Bob pulls the truck and trailer up to park and walks back to get in. I ask if he has the key to the boat. His face said it all. So we hot wire the boat, get it started and take off. This is when I find out that the boat belongs to his father in law and he had just picked it up the night before without checking anything. Including the fuel level, lack of paddles, no anchor and this was all before cell phones.
I also learned that Bob did not know about navigation on the water including stay between the channel markers, especially when the tide is going out. After the third time we ran aground, I took over the helm.
We headed back in with no fish and pretty severe sunburns. After we got back to camp, Bob said he was going to take a shower in the community bath house. Howie and I decided to get even for the “FUN” we had had so far. We waited till we heard the shower running and the deposited a bundle of bottle rockets through the open window.
Bob came out pissed off. But Howie and I enjoyed just a small portion of the trip.