Sometimes sequels suck

Sometimes sequels suck.  You go in thinking one thing, or that the thing will be like the last thing.  Well, you can't step into the same river twice.  Everything is always changing.  And so it is with the boat.  This season is not like last season.  In many ways it's worse.  In some ways it's better.  Either way, the Katie Ann keeps sailing and the world keeps turning. 

First of all, we've made maybe thirty dollars catching Haik.  Over the course of a week.  The freezers are freezing the fish at an alarmingly slow rate.  Like five hours as opposed to two.  Our catcher boats are Indians-you can call them natives if you prefer-and they don't give a shit.  And the ice wench is gone.  It didn't occur to me how helpful that was to my day to have the wench's smiling face and ready laugh.  Also, the responsibility of keeping her in the game kept me in the game.  There are no straps on the bags now.  It is quite literally twice as much work to load a freezer now.

On a bright note, I have some creature comforts and am bunking with my buddy Robby.  We play video games.   I play piano too.  In fact, last night I played piano for the entire boat.  We hadn't caught any fish in a couple days.  I walked into the galley and saw on the board that I was going to do a Haik dance on the trawl deck at 11pm.  News to me, it was.  But when I was summoned at eleven and found out they were being serious, I couldn't refuse my boss or my crew.  Just the kind of team player I am, I guess.

So I went out and did this Icky shuffle meets Merton Hanks with some Dumb and Dumber mixed in.  There were som insensitive moments with regard to the Macaw Indians too.  It was good fun and everyone laughed.  It was short, however, and an encore was called for.  Well, I didn't really have one.  Not having one didn't stop me from round one, so I proceeded to do an encore with some enthusiasm.  Someone said, "Play the piano".  Enough said. 

I sent my roadies to fetch the board, stand, and cables.  Within two minutes I was hooked up and the crowd was surprisingly silent.  I had their attention and wasn't going to waste it.  I started with something light-an instrumental of 'Beating Those Cakes' and followed with a freestyle 'Stormy Monday Blues' where I said something inappropriate about each of my bosses.  Everyone laughed hysterically.  Feeling a bit confident, I put out the disclaimer during the intro, "The opinions expressed in this next piece are in no way indicative of my view towards women".  Then it began, "She's a porn star..."  That's right.  I played 'Pornstar' in front of the observers, bosses, God, and everyone.  Then I wrapped it up with a few bars of 'Jade', or as Dominick calls it, 'Splat' for reasons known to he and myself. 

Mission accomplished.  High fives.  Laughter.  I'd like to say shock, but they pretty much have me figured out.  No shock.  Just some enthusiasm.  And the fish did come today, but they came to the tune of a two minute dance.  Only eleven tons.  Whatever.  It could be a long season if I let it.  I won't.  I'm gonna make my own fun if I have to.  I have done it before.