I duz like my Tea

I has traveled the world, over land and sea, and bartenders I know a plenty.  Many friends have I made, under sun and in shade, where we’ve have downed many of toasts to those of the past.

When I leaves a place, I has one for the road, with me hat and me coat I goes walking, till I comes to a hut, where one can get ale and a place to sleep. The nights are much too long and when the sky becomes light, I am on me way, for another day with me friends. Because I likes me Tea, the fun and the cheer, in a place just down the road.

Deep in the south, in a place known as the “Cotton Mouth”, where they serves a special drink. It’s cool and high with foam, that can choke you to death, if you drink too fast. and will cause you to fall to the floor. Then they tells you ta go home, as you has had enough and you can’t have any more.  But I duz like me Tea.

In a place called York, close to the sea, where ships crews and the Captains hang out.  The bar maids, old and the young, hurry back and forth, with beer trays in hand, they spill a little here and a little there, and the hound are quick to lick it up, as the hounds duz like the beer.

Sometimes you can see a sword or two, cutting through the air. And blood showing on shirts, and cuts on the flesh that will need some time to heal, but not until after. a second round has been served. As friendships are renewed and with cheer, things are back as they were to began . Cause I duz likes me Tea!

The building shakes and doors swing open, A monster of a man is standing there. One leg is of wood and a steal hook, on the end of one arm and a black  patch covering an eye. You wonder if it is, for him, hard to see, He smiles and you notice that a number of teeth have been set free. 

He enters the bar and men are hurrying to get out of his way. The place is crowed, men are jumping out of windows, and falling as they are trying to get out the door. Others just move to the other side of the room.  There is no place to set, so they sit down on the floor. The monster of a man chooses a table and it is vacated for him.  He up-rights a chair from the floor and sets himself down with ease. A bar maid approaches and stops ten feet away, and asked what the master will have.  With a soft gentle voice, he  says, “bring me pot of tea with lemon slices”, “if you will please”, and waves her away with his flip of a hand.

After some time, he motions to the bar maid again. Bring me another pot of tea and this time be sure it is hot.  And I’ll have a three slices of cheese. “Thank you, me lovely maiden”.  Then from his sleeve he pulls a hanky of lace and touches the corners of his mouth, then he tucks it back in the cuff of his sleeve. And a few times, his fingers pet a little mouse, as he runs and hides, back up the sleeve. 

The hour is late and the bar has closed and all have gone, except for one, A bar maid that has fallen in love with a man of the sea and the way he used his hanky of lace to wipe the corners of his lips.

Just one more, he says, to the bar maid, before I leave, then he waves Good By and blows  a kiss and wipes his lips on his sleeve. The sun come up on the horizon and his ship is no longer iin the harbor where it should be, it has sailed in the morning tide with the old man on board.  And the bar maid is seen. Setting on the beach, building castles in the sand.

By: Ben R. 

Nov, 2002