Evening Cruise

My co-worker Monica at the hotel where I work gave me a two complimentary tickets for a cruise on the Rehoboth-Lewes Canal. For the past two and a half years I've worked at a hotel on the canal and often seen boats full of happy folk cruise up and down the canal. I assumed they went from one end of the canal to the other. Little did I know they actually went out to the ocean for a two hour cruise and went dolphin watching. So I decided to take advantage of this bonus and invite my good friend Bob along for the ride.

The cruise began at 7:00 pm. First we went for dinner at the new Wharf restaurant. I always like to dine at least once at the restaurants nearby where I work because I am often asked to recommend restaurants. Last year the restaurant on this location was the Lighthouse Restaurant and it had a terrible reputation. Dinner tonight at the new restaurant was alright but, like almost all restaurants in the Lewes and Rehoboth area, overpriced. My friend got fish and chips and I ordered a Caesar salad. With ice tea for both of us, our bill came to $28.00, before the tip. That's too much. But I won't dwell on this negative aspect of the evening because the rest of the evening turned out spectacularly well.

Our boat pulled out of the dock at precisely 7 pm. It was loaded with folks. There were a lot of families with screaming kids. One little blond haired girl was a particularly loud and consistent screamer. Bob and I were seated on the right side of the boat. I had to get away from this screaming kid because my head was going to split. What a fortuitous move that was.

At the bow of the boat I saw the most handsome young man I have laid my eyes on since I moved to Delaware. He simply took my breath away. I could not take my eyes off of him. He had Oriental eyes but was not Oriental. He had the flat Slavic forehead of a Russian or other nationality from that region of the world. I soon notice by their language that there was a group of them (Russians) on the boat. I took some surreptitious pictures of him. I kept looking at him but I didn't want to think I was cruising him. All the years I've been cruising in gay bars, I'm still shy about getting someone's attention. And besides, what would I do if he returned my looks?

Then the unimaginable happened. He saw me looking at him and moved to stand next to me! I was paralyzed. What would I do now? He was standing right next to me! So of course I turned away and started to take pictures of the canal bank, the lighthouse in the bay; anything so he wouldn't know that I was looking at him.

I moved to the side of the boat to take pictures. I turned around and he was right behind me! What was I supposed to do? Turn around and ask "Do you come here often?" No, of course not. I didn't know what to say to him or if I should say anything at all. And besides, he was with his extended Russian group of friends. I saw a couple of babies with oriental eyes. Maybe one of them was his. So I continued to stand next to him without looking, waiting for him to turn away from me so I could get a good picture of him. Finally I moved from the side of the boat to the steps. He moved into my position and turned to face me. He was only one to two feet from me now! I could reach out my hand and touch his face, chest, arms. I haven't been this petrified since I first laid eyes on George Vishensky over 35 years ago and he turned around and looked right at me. His nationality was Polish. We had a very intense affair short term affair. It was one of the two most intense sexual attractions I've ever had in my lifetime. This guy tonight was making me shake in the knees just like George. I don't usually get turned on but when I do, watch out.

So here this extraordinarily handsome man of Eastern European extraction was giving me the the opportunity to meet him and I could not do anything. I has absolutely stupefied. He stood facing me for about fifteen minutes, although it seemed a lot longer. Finally he turned around to the water, obviously giving up on me once he realized that I was a total retard as far as cruising. I again took the the opportunity to take more pictures of him.

I took a picture of him and his group of friends, babies included. The captain of the ship was taking a picture so I took the opportunity to take a picture too, hoping they wouldn't notice. I think they did but they didn't say anything.

After we pulled into the dock and debarked boat, I saw him carrying a bassinet with a baby in it. I'm hoping that was his brother's baby and not his. I'm now convinced that he became aware that I was looking at him and was giving me the opportunity to talk to him. I was so afraid I would do a Jackie Gleason and say "humma, hum, hum, hum." Of course as is the case, after I got in my car and discussed this situation with my friend Bob I thought of all kinds of things to say. I could have said "What country are you from?" Or I could have asked "Is this the first time you have taken this cruise?" Maybe if I was really bold I could have said "You are the most extraordinarily sexually attractive man I have seen in years." Yeah, I could have said that. But I didn't. I could have even given him my card but wouldn't you know it I didn't have any with me. One thing is for sure, I will never forget his face.

I thought that my sexual libido had went into remission with the onset of my advanced years. Apparently this is not the case. I just haven't had the right stimulation. Tonight I was stimulated, big time.

Rainy Sunday in Lewes

On this gray and dreary Sunday in May I had little energy to do anything but read a book and take a long nap. After I did that I suggested to Bill that we hit the Dairy Queen again in Lewes for another take at one of those Banana Cream Pie Blizzard shakes. He agreed so off we went to Lewes.

It took awhile to get out of our development, located on the right side of Route 1. We had to wait for a break in the Horde traffic of vehicles , i.e., the weekenders returning to their homes in the after spending a rainy weekend in the Delmarva peninsula. Nary a vehicle going south on Rt. 1 but wave after head lighted wave of vehicles headed north on Rt. 1. Bless their hearts. I hope they left a lot of money during their weekend sojourn to our coastal shores.

Down the rain slicked highway we went, turning left on New Road for our entry into Lewes. Over the Canal Street Bridge to the Dairy Queen located on Savannah Road, one short block from the bay beach in Lewes. I didn't have to wait in line to order our 5,000 calorie concoctions that would ruin our appetites for the rest of the day (I'm still stuffed and it's 7:30 as I type this blog entry.) I assured the young lady that waited on me that sunny days are forecast for the coming week. She said "Anything to get rid of this boredom." Not a pretty day at the beach folks.

Thus armed with two medium gut busters (aka Banana Cream Pie Blizzards), I headed back out to the car. I asked Bill to hold my Blizzard while I cranked up the car to head down Cedar Road to the end of the canal where the Broadkill River meets the Rehoboth-Lewes Canal and Delaware Bay. We would indulge ourselves with our treats while watching the fishermen at the jetty. That all went well until one of the fishermen got a bite. Excitedly we watched as he reeled in his catch. I don't know what it was but it had what looked like wings. I think it was a sting ray. The fisherman got out a stick he had in his bag and beat it off his hook and threw it back into the bay. Nice. Now I really have an appetite. Another living creature ruined for the benefit of man.

We left the scene of the casual brutality. I didn't feel like going home so we took a ride down to the end of Pilottown Road. I wanted to see what was down there. Working at the front desk at the hotel I'm often asked questions about areas I haven't seen so today was a good time to see those areas. Hopefully I wouldn't see another fisherman pull some sea creature out of the ocean and beat it to death with a stick. We didn't. We had a nice ride and I found the University of Delaware's sea station (I can't remember the formal name of the place) at the end of Pilottown Road. Now I know. I still didn't feel like going home so I suggested to Bill that we visit our friend Big Bob who lives near Georgetown, Delaware. Off we go down Rt. 9 to Big Bob's hacienda.

Off we go down almost deserted, gray dreary roads this May Sunday in our coastal resort community. There was little evidence of the summertime hordes of tourists. Big Bob was home. We had a pleasant visit. I brought him up to date on the latest gossip. His partner Jim (aka "Big Jim") was at work. Thus we had a comfortable visit. No Jim Drama today. Maybe another day we can bear witness to one of Jim's hissy fits or meltdowns. We invited Big Bob over for dinner sometime in the next week or two when Jimbo is off at work. It must get lonely for our friend when he's left alone in his double wide without benefit of cable or a computer connection. And we always enjoy Big Bob's company.

Arriving home I checked out the bluebird box to see how this year's batch if progressing. As the picture on this blog shows, they are doing quite well. I have some good news on the Invasion of the Sparrows front. The Determined Sparrow finally gave up making a nest in that one Purple Martin apartment. The Purple Martins have taken over. The trick was to throw out the sparrow nest with the eggs in it. Prior to this I was just throwing out the sparrow nest. That wasn't working because they would just build a new sparrow nest. Next year I will only have one clean out of sparrow nests, after they lay their eggs. Not something I like to do but I have to make a safe place for my Purple Martins and bluebirds. The sparrows don't rule in my back yard.

Pictured also on this blog are my "Knock Out Roses", or as Bill calls them "Punched Out Roses." They are performing spectacularly well this year. Only problem is when the Japanese Beetles emerge in about two weeks. Then I will have a major problem on my had getting rid of those pests just like I did last year. I had to spray insecticides on my plants because it kills everything including beneficial insects like praying mantises of which I had many last year. I tried to pick off as many Japanese Beetles as I could last year but quickly became overwhelmed.

Sun is forecast for this week. Hallelujah! I know all this rain is good for the farmers but we're getting moldy with all this moisture. The dreariness of gray, raining days is draining the energy out of me. I'm way overdue in updating my "Tipton Tales and Trails" blog. I'm even overdue in a housecleaning but I just can't seem to get my engines started on days like this. I'm reminded of the old Beetles song on their Abbey Road album, "Here Comes the Sun." It can't come soon enough. Right now I feel like I'm in a yellow submarine.

Saturday in Lewes

Five-thirty a.m. arrived early this morning. I like to wake up before my radio alarm goes of. The alarm is alarming. Not a good way to start the day.

Usually, Saturday mornings are reserved for me and Bill to make our weekly trek to Zorba's restaurant in Rehoboth Beach for breakfast. Not that the breakfast is all that special at Zorba's but it is good to get Bill out of the house among other people at least once a week. Zorba's has a low kid and high gay clientele what we're comfortable with. Not that the restaurant is a loud and campy gay hangout, it isn't. Almost all of the gay clientele are old men like me and Bill who have been in a long term relationships. There is an occasional old straight couple who wanders in. The operative word here is "old." This isn't a young people's hangout, which is just fine with us. We're welcomed at Zorba's and we return the favor with ourpatronage.

This morning I had to work at the hotel. I filled in for a co-worker who was attending a Saturday morning class. I usually work nights (3 pm to 11 pm) but I like working the occasional day shift. I get to interact with my friends in housekeeping and work with my manager, who I like immensely. He is young enough (29) to be my grandson but he is one of the best bosses I've ever had. Knowledgeable, friendly and always backs me up. Can't ask for much more than that.

The hotel was full of guests which was a pleasant change from past weeks and months. The economy has put a serious drag on the hotel business, especially where I work. So much so that my hours were cut in half from two nights a week to one night a week. Lately I've been able to make up that time by filling in for my co-workers when they were unable to work. Because the hotel was full I was kept busy at the front desk answering a lot of questions from guests who are new to the Lewes, Delaware area. I didn't mind. This is my job and why they pay be the big bucks. So maybe the bucks aren't that big but I am paid well to do a job that I love.

After work I went home to Bill. The lawn service was supposed to stop by this morning and put another application on the lawn. They didn't. I made a big mistake by paying for the service up front. I thought I was doing them a favor by paying ahead in the winter time when business is slow for them. I forgot one of the basic rules of dealing with businesses who provide service, never pay full up front. If you do you're put on the back burner. They already have their money so where is the priority? I've been calling them for the past month about the "late spring" application to my lawn. Another couple or weeks we will be overlapping with the "early summer" application. Looks like I have to make another phone call Monday. I'm biting my tongue when I call but there is no way I'm paying ahead of time next year. If they weren't the best lawn service in the area, I would get a new lawn service.

After eating an early dinner (I didn't have lunch) I asked Bill if he would like to take a ride to the Dairy Queen in Lewes for a Blizzard. He answered in the affirmative. We took a leisurly drive down New Road to Lewes, across the canal bridge and at the end of Savannah Road we pulled into the Dairy Queen parking lot. I got Bill a Banana Cream Pie Blizzard and I got a medium vanilla cone. On the way back to my car where Bill was waiting I tongued Bill's Blizzard. Hmmmm good! I should have ordered one for myself. My vanilla cone seemed so plain now.

After giving Bill his Blizzard, I asked him to hold my cone while I drove up to the beach to park the car. This was the first time I've parked at the beach in Lewes (or anywhere down here in Delaware for that matter) since we moved to Delaware 2 1/2 years ago. We don't rush into things in our life.

After making short business of our Dairy Queen treats, I asked Bill if he would mind if I took a ride down Cedar Road to the Lewes Yacht Club. I frequently get requests from guests of the hotel on how to get to the yacht club but I've never been there myself. I always like to know where I'm giving directions too. So, we take another long and leisurely drive down Cedar Road to the Lewes Yacht Club. They had some kind of event going on, at least one hundred people were packed on the tent covered deck clinking their cocktail glasses, broadcasting in the distance the happy sounds of a cacophony of many conversations going on simultaneously.

I pulled up the car and parked outside the yacht club to watch the boats on the inlet where the Broadkill River meets the Rehoboth/Lewes Canal. What a delightful discovery! Bill and I stayed there at least an hour with several other cars and pick up trucks who were doing the same thing we were doing, passing away the late Saturday afternoon on this May day enjoying the peace and serenity of the bay breeze and watching the folks boat and fish on the inlet. Just a wonderful way to end the day. We will definitely do this again. And the next time I'm getting one of those Banana Cream Pie Blizzards, a large one.