JOHN PAUL JOES

Leave the ‘N’ off for Nuts!

It was the perfect day! I stepped outside to retrieve the newspaper, and thought to myself: “I should really call in sick!” Then I realized I was retired, so I just smiled to myself and had a cup of coffee!

Being in a light-hearted mood, I began to do strange things, like clean the house, and make the dinner early. It was scaring the hell out of me! Suddenly the phone rang. Looking at the caller I.D., it said “Anonymous”! I debated answering the call, but did anyway.

On the other end of the call was my saintly brother-in-law, Don. St. Don of East Setauket was calling to ask if I would be interested in coming on down to the pier and jumping in his boat for a ride around Long Island’s bay. Don is married to my youngest sister Joanne, or Sis #4, thus he has earned, and I mean EARNED the title ‘Saint’!

After some quiet debate on going on the boat on a beautiful day, (it took nano seconds), I won the debate and met him at his boat.

The man is not only a saint, he is a real Admiral Nelson, navigating the channels and shallow canals of Great South Bay, as he deftly moved under the beautiful sky blue and sun drenched day into the open waters. I assumed the title of John Paul Joes, the admiral of the bathtub, manning (bravely I might add) a bottle of cold Heineken, which I guarded with my life.

It was the most outrages boat ride I have ever taken. Serene and just making me feel wonderful, sitting in the boat, the sea breezes, the beer, the sense of freedom just took over. Saint Don, piloting the ship of bliss, and I had a great time. I kept thinking of all those poor people that were locked up in an office or factory, and I wasn’t!

We visited all his nautical haunts, commenting on the particulars of the places we visited, my reminiscences of the past, as I recall those places, only added to the best possible way to spend life on earth!

Don is a great guy to know; that he is my brother-in-law makes him very special.

Thanks Don!