“Dude, Where’s my canoe?” VIDEO
My canoe, the heavily battle-scarred, aluminum Grumman, fondly known as “Will’s Moonburn”—named after Poor William’s strong, sweet son, who once asked his father, “Dad, can you get moonburn?”—stays at Mr. Little John’s farm or on the banks of the Sunflower River at Quapaw Canoe Company in downtown Clarksdale.
Yeah, I am usually too tired, worn out, or “dehydrated” to tend to it at trip’s end. Now, how could I be dehydrated with as much beer as I drink while on the water? This kind of figuring is beyond my pay grade.
In addition to McKee—trip scout, porter, logistical engineer and all around responsible adult –the muddy flotilla included The Delta Bohemian’s Magical Madge, RUST Restaurant’s Laura “Effie” Barnaby, Lambfish Art Gallery’s Joey Young, Yazoo Pass “Sweet Thang” Aubrey Powell, and yours truly, the ‘umble, whimsical, capricious Poor William, who Mr. Lil John referred to as something akin to a creature part “Tomlinson and part Roundman!” Both are inferences attributing traits inherited from both sides of Poor William’s family—one adventuresome, one not.
VIDEO
The Tomlinson catalyst is to blame for Poor William jumping out of an already unstable canoe into the river rife with moccasins, gar, and sundry other seen and unseen dangers in order to test his mettle against Chad Moser’s lab in a game of who can get the tennis ball first!
Poor William won, but only because the dog was tired as hell from doing it numerous times before the contest began! Mattie Louise Tomlinson, Poor William’s Maternal and adventurous grandmother who is now with the Lord, would be proud of her boy, at least on this adventure!
Most of the paddles were forgotten, so Sweet Thang sunned a bit in the bow of the boat—lookin’ all tan and svelte with her about-to-get-married fine self. She is marrying Mr. Lil John’s brother—Tom (We calls him Bunny)—a fine Delta Bohemian who lives in L.A. (Lower Alabama). So, it was okay that she was sunning with Bunny’s brother. Well, I think it is. McKees, “Whatcha gonna do wit ‘em?”
For our readers who have not slithered down the accessible and charming muddy Sunflower River by canoe as it winds its way through our Delta, mostly unnoticed from land, you should give it a whirl!
BE on the LOOKOUT SOON for the roll out of DELTA BOHEMIAN TOURS—a magical mélange of eclectic, custom-designed, mini-sojourns through this varied and storied land that birthed the blues and so damn much more!
This was a fun day!!