Let me tell you about Larry.

[oneighty]

Larry worked for me on my clam dredge the 'Vicky Mary'. Larry had a mustache. On the cold days leaning over the conveyor grabbing clams right and left and tossing them back between his legs to be counted and bagged later, snot would build up on his mustache. One day a very small fish came up the conveyor. Larry grabbed up the fish stuck it head first into his mouth. He was a sight Larry was. Snot on his mustache and the poor little fish tail flopping helplessly about. Often I remember Larry like that. And I smile and tear up.

Larry was a pool shark too. He taught my children to shoot pool. They became very good at the game.

Sometimes I would let Larry Captain my Vicky Mary. But Larry was kind of rough with my fifteen thousand dollar investment so I put him back to crewing. Larry worked with me dredging clams in Little River, in the Santee Delta and in the salt creeks and ditches behind Sullivan's Island.

It was at Sullivan's Island that Larry and I parted company. Larry made some unkind remarks concerning my family. In the heat of my anger I fired Larry.

Some days went by and I reconsidered. I went to Larry's cottage where he lived alone. I sat in the living room with Larry. It was a mess dirty dishes ashtrays beer cans scattered about. I tell Larry "Larry, come on back to work. We can put what was behind us." Larry tells me he is going to the mountains for a few days skiing. "See you when you get back then Larry."

Larry did not go skiing. Instead he parked his car in back of the cottage. He hooked his vacuum cleaner hose to the exhaust and fed it through the rear window of his car window. It was a terrible job Larry did. Sloppy work. Everything held in place with duct tape.

Damn it Larry! Why didn't you tell me?

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[knowbody0]

1. larry wanted to leave

bye larry

[oneighty]

2. I had hoped for

some comments here. Larry is a true story one which I intend to write more about in the future. I have always been reluctant to tell about Larry because the circumstances of his passing has burdened me for 25 years or more.

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[JitterbugPerfume]

3. what has burdened you about it?

was he mixed up with shady chaaracters? was there a mystery connected with his death? What compelled you to renew your friendship after he insulted your family?

and

what happened to the FISH?

[Nadienne]

4. Why didn't he tell you

what, exactly?

[oneighty]

5. He did not tell me

he was going to kill himself. He did not tell me how unhappy/desperate/sick/in need of help--he was. If only! I think over the years. If only he had told me perhaps we could have helped. He was a veteran, he had access to health care.

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[Nadienne]

6. Did he show any signs of depression

while he was working for you?

This is more a question about what you would like to write about him. Is it a tribute to a friend? Or a tragedy? (In which case, I would suggest a little bit of foreshadow so that the tragedy doesn't come out of nowhere...)

[JitterbugPerfume]

7. I think that

"back then" we were not as aware of the signs and symptoms of depression as we are now

[oneighty]

8. This is a bad subject in a way.

Sorry also that I brought it up.

There were many men that worked for me/with me on the Vicky Mary over a period of several years. Each has/had a place in my life. Each has lived an adventure. I thought to write about all of them. But Larry was/is a problem. I think I will discard the idea.

Thanks for your comments.

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