Where 45 Ends

by E. Marie Aldrich-Creasy

  All the sailors knew, there was no place with a better view

  According to Webster’s definition, the Poop Deck

  Is a partial deck, above the main after-deck

  On any sea going vessel

  But to us, the Poop Deck is

  Where the elite meet in bare-feet

  We party, play pool and listen to good music

  At the Poop Deck

  It’s the best bar in town

  Look how long it’s been around

  Successful for thirty-seven years

  On the Gulf of Mexico

  When Ardella referred to the good in life

  She said” It’s up town Mary Ann!”

  As she often did, when she referred to my apartment

  Now I’ve spent half my life here

  I’ve been on vacation, more than a time or two

  And this place, by far, has the best view

  If you’ve never been, you haven’t got a clue!

  The Poop Deck, is the best bar in town

  Look how long it’s been around

  There’s another Poop Deck in California—on the beach

  I’ve been given a picture

  I hear there is a Poop Deck in Forth worth Texas

  Near the stock yards

  I know somewhere in the Bahamas,

  There’s a fancy restaurant called

  The Poop Deck

  And down in Galveston where the gulf breeze blows

  It seems everyone knows Marie

  Where the Poop Deck has history

  Starting with ArDella, Marie and people hanging out

  Where the elite meet in bare-feet

  While they sit and think

  Enjoying a drink or two

  As well as the view

  Just doing what they do

  This my friend is true

  At the Poop Deck

  The best bar in town

  With the best view a round

  Good Morning

  Good morning America, I’m watching you

  And doing what I do

  Writing, it was May 2nd 2008

  When I wrote “In our America”

  You said nothing on your show that day

  Not that I heard anyway

  About the soldiers, in that foreign country

  I may be wrong but if I see a replay

  I could get corrected

  I have been wrong before

  I was writing, that morning like this morning

  I had something to say

  Today I’m ANGRY, I have MS

  I hurt! There isn’t a cure

  I was told nearly twenty years ago in Galveston, TX

  That I had something the doctors couldn’t fix

  I asked what I had to do

  And until November of last year (2008)

  I didn’t take prescribed medicine

  I think of Dr. Shiess often. She was my Neurologist at UTMB

  I wonder if she is still around, I’d like to see her again

  I told her she couldn’t tell me I had something she couldn’t fix

  Her expression changed when she told me I had MS.

  She said “I’ll show you your MRI results”

  That seems like a long time ago

  This time for three and half, nearly four years

  Life has been difficult for me and for Dennis, my husband

  I did what the doctor said

  I exercised, I walked stairs, I rode a bike

  I got up to nearly twenty miles a day, sometimes more

  And that was so enjoyable on the nine and half mile seawall

  Especially at sunrise in the summer, before it got too hot to ride

  A few years ago my balance got so bad I had to quit riding

  I maybe, should’ve quit long before, because of my vision

  I was in my early twenties when I started to lose my sight

  Jay Hodges, hit me on the stairs of the Poop Deck

  In August or September of 1986

  I never could see right after that

  So I went to TSO and saw Kevin Katz, he couldn’t figure it out,

  But he knew it wasn’t from the blow to the head

  It was in October of 1986, He sent me to UTMB to see

  Dr. Sheiss a Neurologist

  Short Quotes

  Not one, Not two, Not three, for sure

  The Love from an animal or a child is unconditional

  No matter what you do or don’t do

  How much does a ticket cost?

  I want to ride the ride

  The Himmilaya, the hurricane or the merry go round

  Or the Bumper cars

  Bumping into each other on the run

  I remember it was fun

  If we were all fishes or wishes

  We’d swim in the sea

  I didn’t have a plan

  When I bought that ship in Cheyenne

  The light changed colors

  And the blue was bright

  You know it looked right

  I found something to enjoy at night

  At an Oh MY God point in my life

  You tore a hole in my heart,

  threw it around and then turned it upside down

  And threw it into that burning ring of fire

  Where the flames went higher, filled with desire

  I heard someone say it went full circle

  You ask what does that mean?

  It’s pretty clear to me

  You are no longer parted

  It’s all back to where it started

  When the in-laws are not that close

  or that nice

  Sometimes I swear their outlaws

  Nothing like a child’s friend called Robin Hood

  They are causing more harm than good

  YOU KNOW

  Don’t bitch

  About something you can’t change, Rearrange

  Make everything sound better

  Just write a letter

  You know, don’t bitch

  About something you can’t change, rearrange

  You know those feelings inside your head

  That get into your heart

  Piece by piece tearing you a part

  Don’t bitch

  About something you can’t change, rearrange

  THE KEYS

  That hurt like a son of a gun

  When I cut the tip of my thumb

  While it was healing

  There was this apple I was peeling

  When I cut my thumb, again and nearly hit the ceiling

  Let me tell ya it was nothing fun

  It hurt like a son of a gun

  The blood, I saw it spurt

  Soon I went out for a run

  Soakin’ up some sun

  The apple I salted

  And we ate it

  With some cheese

  Now I just need to know

  Where did I loose my keys

  MERMAID SONG

  The day I met me, a mermaid

  No one believes

  Cuz, earlier I’d been drinkin at every bar

  On the beach

  I gotta tell ya

  Her hair was red and her tail was green

  She had the prettiest eyes that I ever did see

  She swam to me

  Straight out of the sea

  Right up to my dingy

  I told her what it was like

  To walk on the beach

  And she told me how it was

  To swim under the sea

  But we knew together, we could not be

  My mermaid, My mermaid

  With your bright red hair

  And pretty green eyes

  Oh where, Oh where can you be

  When I sit on the beach

  And look out to see

  I think of

  My mermaid, My mermaid

  And I want her to know she’s on my mind

  As I watch the ships going by


  Thinking about the day I met her and

  She swam up to me

  Flippin her tail straight out of the sea

  Right there next to my dingy

  I thought my eyes were

  Playing tricks on me

  No one believes the day I met me a mermaid

  By Esther Marie & Cowboy Ronnie

  Burnin Palm Tree

  It’s was four thirty in the morning

  A palm tree was burning

  I thought it was a cross

  I stopped cuz that ain’t right

  Ended up putting out that tree

  Helping out the fire Department

  Then I sang—a lil’ George with “I’m the fireman”

  Remember it was four—thirty AM

  I was driving home from the Dutch Kettle

  A palm tree was burning

  I got offered a job putting out fires

  Earlier, I met Randy Rogers

  At the Dutch Kettle

  He’s got a couple CD’s out

  These people at the Dutch Kettle heard us

  Both play and my breakfast was bought for me

  He walked out with his rolex on his arm

  And had to come back and pay his bill

  I never thought at four-thirty AM

  I’d be putting out a burning palm tree

  After singing for my coffee

  By Esther Marie & Cowboy Ronnie

  Look

  When I see a piece of history, happening right in front of me

  On the gulf near the sea, where the birds eat free

  I don’t just read the book

  I read it every day, so often it makes me say Look!

  I gotta ask, are you really gonna get something to eat

  If I give you some money?

  Or drugs that don’t let you think

  Or do you just want a drink?

  After that I gotta say “Look right here”

  I got a cold beer, it’s on ice

  Hey Bud, I like that!

  If ya gotta think twice

  Maybe you really do want to get something to eat

  Now I gotta say

  Look straight up, “He’s there, he’s everywhere”

  Then I’ll say Listen

  I’m in need of some help

  If it’s no trouble

  I promise it will earn you a double

  And I don’t make promises that I can’t keep

  Don’t look down

  Look up, there’s angels all around

  They’ll help if you ask

  When your body runs out of gas

  And I see a piece of history

  I gotta say “Look!”

  Read the book

  Look ! In the mirror

  Who do you see

  Ask yourself, is that the person you want to be?

  On the gulf near the sea

  Where the birds eat free

  Did you listen to me—It’s simple!

  I’ll give you a double for your trouble

  Look up! Don’t look down!

  Turn around

  Look!

  Read the book

  And I’ll see a piece of history

  Happening right in front of me

  Salt Water Cowboy

  I’m sitting on the seawall

  Watching the tide roll in

  With the gulf breeze blowing threw my hair

  And the sun on my skin

  I see shrimp boats and sail boats

  Out on the Gulf of Mexico

  Funny thing is, I’d rather be doing a show

  Cuz’ I’m a salt water cowboy

  I live by the sea

  I’ll be riding my sea horse

  Across the waves on the beach

  I can Lasso a sting ray right out of the Galvestion bay

  Cuz’ I’m a saltwater cowboy

  That’s how I’ll stay

  I want you to know—long ago

  I named my guitar Ellie May

  And I still don’t eat oysters in the month of May,

  I’m sitting on the sidewalk

  Downtown at The Crow with Diane

  Watching the people walking by hand and hand

  Remember December and Dickens on the strand

  Everyone was dressed up, down town, in Galveston

  Where I’m a salt water cowboy

  I live by the sea

  I ride a sea horse

  And I can lasso a stingray and right out of the Galveston bay

  Cuz’ I’m a salt water cowboy

  And that’s how I’ll stay

  I want you to know, long ago

  I named my guitar Ellie May

  And I still don’t eat oysters in the month of May

  I’m sitting at the Poop Deck

  Ending a Beautiful day

  Enjoying the view on the seawall and out over the Gulf

  The sun on my face

  When it goes down

  I’ll be sitting right there at the bar

  Where the Elite meet in bare-feet

  Playing my guitar

  I’m the salt water cowboy

  I ride a sea horse

  and I can lasso a string ray right out of the Galveston bay

  I want you to know—long ago

  I named my guitar Ellie May

  And I still don’t eat oysters in May

  Cuz’ I’m a saltwater cowboy

  And that’s how I’ll stay

  ““““Ending””””

  Written By

  Esther Maire and Ronnie Watts(Cowboy Ronnie, (The Salt Water Cowboy)

  Mexican Pearl

  We found our girl, she’s a Mexican Pearl

  She’s got an education

  She could make real money

  But she work’s at the Poop Deck

  To make play money

  She likes baby pink and harley black

  She’s sweet and precious, ruff and tuff

  She’s Rachael, our Rachael

  Yeah Huh!

  She’ll try to get you to drink a Red Headed Slut

  Shut up!

  It’s Rachael, she’s nice

  Exacaree!

  But if it don’t set right with her

  She’ll go off and not think twice

  Ya gotta know, that girl really is nice

  She’s got an education

  She could make real money

  But she works at the Poop Deck to make play money

  Dressed in her baby pink and harley black

  She’s no box of rocks on a wet road in Georgia

  She’s our girl, our Mexican Pearl

  Straight from the Gulf of Mexico

  Moore’s

  I know we’re almost there

  We just went through Pasadena on 45

  Were headed south down to the coast

  Going over the causeway

  After another long hard day

  I’m gonna finish up my chores

  Buying some fresh seafood from Moore’s

  I’m coming down 61st street

  Picking up some shrimp

  I’m gonna say hi to Ray and Laura

  They always treat me right

  I see them so often I feel like we’re tight

  They are friends of mine I really like

  And it’s almost crawfish time

  I gotta see if they might, yeah, maybe have some

  Of them there mudbugs and I’ll boil them up instead

  Or maybe I’ll get some red fish to fry

  Moore’s might, yeah! Maybe have some either

  Crawfish for tonight or red fish

  Ray and Laura always treat me right

  I see them so often, I feel like were tight

  They are friends of mine I really like

  There seafood is fresh

  I’m so happy they are open once again

  Everyday, nine and half month after hurricane Ike

  On 61st street this time, next to KFC

&n
bsp; They are selling out of a trailer now

  Rent was just too high, trying to get by, at the last place

  I’m sure glad their back in business

  Because when it comes to shrimp or seafood

  I want some of Moore’s

  and we’re on 61st street now,almost there

  Saltwater Cowgirl

  Did you know?

  A saltwater cowgirl rides a dolphin

  All night and all day

  And she’s just like me, she don’t eat oysters

  In the month of May

  She doesn’t have a guitar

  Named Ellie May

  She has a harp she named Stingray

  We’ll hear her play

  On a calm moon lit night

  She’ll be the only star in sight

  The water will shimmer and shine

  Just the way I like

  I’ll think about my saltwater cowgirl

  And my mermaid

  They are, oh so fine

  Both on my mind, like an old nursery rhyme

  I’ll swim under the sea with my pretty mermaid

  Or I’ll ride a seahorse

  Next to my saltwater cowgirl

  Riding her dolphin

  Playing her Stingray

  I’ll be playing Ellie May

  Wanting to lasso my saltwater cowgirl

  Right off that dolphin

  She rides through the waves out in the bay

  Along with her harp she calls Stingray

  By Esther Marie and Elizabeth Kyle (saltwater Cow girl, artist)

  Farrah

  Farrah was over the moon

  I still remember that red bathing suit

  Standing in the Kmart store

  I bet I stared at it an hour or more

  It ended up on my closet door

  Then we had to say goodbye

  Way too soon on that day in June

  To a girl that was over the moon

  We all lost a Hubba! Hubba!

  From Corpus Christie, Texas, a HOTTIE! (*then whistle*)

  I just know Farrah was a Saltwater Cowgirl

  Did you ever see her in a pair of jean’s

  Hubba! Hubba! Hush!

  On the beach or on the street

  In the Texas heat

  She was a hottie (*ssss*) in a red swim Suit

  (whistle a Hubba, Hubba)

  The world knew this,

  There were posters sold everywhere

  To boys, young men and some elderly too

  I had one, Did You?

  Mine was in my bedroom on the closet door

  There was one on the wall in Uncle John’s garage

  My friend Tom had one in his locker at school