IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME?

There is a place near the beach that is a genuine hard luck joint. Way back it was a shrimper/BBQ palace on Hurricane Pass. After a fire they closed and it was sold to people with money who rebuilt it into a fancy waterfront watering hole and restaurant. It was one of the 'Dead End Canal Yacht Club's' favorite destination.

A lot of our members lived in Boardwalk Caper then and some still do. We could walk, drive or boat to this place and we loved it, especially on the return trip. Once Pioneer Pete bought on the Dead End Canal many of us followed him. Of course it wasn't the Dead End Canal then, that came later but it was a great place to be!

“I don't know why nobody goes there,” said Cap'n Crunch to the kibitzers watching he and a dockside mechanic (DSM) replace a section of rub rail on his bow. “Last weekend was cool but the sun was shining and there weren't many people there?”

We'd all heard the story of the damaged rub rail but Cap'n Crunch's nemesis Erie Earl had to ask, ”How'd you get the dock rash this time?”

Crunchie ignored him and pretended to work harder. He was pushing a small length of white three strand rope into the rub rail’s groove. He was very good at it because he had so much practice. The dockside mechanic was finishing up the project when he spoke out loud to no one in particular.

“My girlfriend and several other employees went to apply there but they didn't get the job,” DSM said.

“She sure is looking good since here uh, her uh....,” Cap'n Crunch tried to say but his worker hadn't finished and he needed the young man to stay.

“Her tits, yeah she looks great,” the DSM said. “She paid for them out of her tips. Wouldn't let me help a bit except to massage them for an hour or so a day.”

“Tough work,” said Hard Luck Hanna. We all bit our fists as DSM and Hanna went over the details. Sometimes we wonder about Hanna but she's been married three times so we just chalk it up to healthy curiosity.

“That's what that place needs! Hot chicks with a local following,” said Erie earl. “The new tenders are alright but ones from Ohio and the other is from 'Nu Yak' so they don't know much about us!”

“You're always looking for a deal like a Canadian,” said Crunchie when he saw an opening to pay Earl back for his earlier disrespect. “Which side of Lake Erie are you from.”

Earl ignored him in return. Cleveland Jack popped up with his favorite peeve, “Why don't they start happy hour at 3 instead of 4pm.” This signaled everyone to spew out their points of dissatisfaction. Expensive by a $1 or two, draft is same as bottle, food mediocre and the outside bar was removed??? There wasn't any answers because the people who had the answers weren't saying.

“I don't give 'em long,” said the DSM. “They'll make it through season but the owner will be looking for another tenant soon. No parking is the 800 pound Gorilla at that place!”

This blog/column is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. Do not read while operating a vehicle or heavy machinery. Keep sending those great questions and comments! (Contact) DeadEndCanalYC@aol.com