From Oneighty's book, Voyages of the Vicky Mary. A tribute.

[madfloridian]

I treasure his book he autographed. I had some wonderful communications with him. There is a picture on the back of the book of him tending the crab pots.

What better way to remember than one of my favorite parts of his book. I call it poetry.

Gonna hop into that car of mine and drive around the world.

My last new car was in 1968, a Karman Ghia. I am a sixty eight year old, old fool now, with a real sporty silver colored little car, which I bought this morning.

I stopped to show my daughter the car a bit ago. She was not home. So instead I got to show my thirteen going on eighteen-year-old granddaughter the sporty toy. She liked it a lot.

I said "I ought to be able to pick up some cool chicks with this car. What do you think?"

"Sure, Grandpa" she says.

We have lost too many DUers. I could hardly type this for the tears.

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. !

:hug:

[me b zola]

2. Thank you for posting

I would love it if you could post a pic of Oneighty.

[madfloridian]

4. I could scan it and crop it but would want permission first.

It's a small picture.

[wakeme2008]

3. ...

:cry:

[Pithy Cherub]

5. He is a beautiful writer!

My heart goes out to his family and friends. To Oneighty, congratulations on a life well lived.:patriot:

What a beautiful tribute! :hug:

[speedoo]

6. I never knew him until tonight.

But now I love him.

For oneighty..

[madfloridian]

28. That is a beautiful picture.

Very peaceful.

[fishnfla]

7. About his book

It was my understanding that he wrote and collected the stories and paid to have it published himself. i wonder how many copies of the work are perhaps left?

[madfloridian]

8. There might be something in the Writing forum.

Also I think I might still have some pms or emails saved. Will check.

[brook]

10. I would like very much

to have the honor of buying a copy, if one is available. I loved his stories though I am sure I missed many.

[madfloridian]

22. I can't not seem to find any info on the book.

Maybe it is in a letter I got with the book. It is frustrating. I thought I saved some pms and I am looking in the wrong email address or something.

If you ask in the Lounge, they might know more. Mrs. Grumpy seems pretty informed.

:shrug:

I will see if I can find the letter.

[brook]

23. Thank you.

I'll follow up when I'm less distressed.

[madfloridian]

24. Two of the deaths have hit me hardest...

Kephra and Oneighty...I am not sure why.

[brook]

27. I can't explain

it either other than every so often there's a strong 'connection' with
a 'cyber' friend. And their loss is profound. :hug:

[shadowknows69]

25. I have one of "Vicky Mary " and "Kazuko"

n/t

[leftchick]

9. thank you mf...

the tears... :cry:

[JitterbugPerfume]

11. that grand daughter

is now a beautiful young woman (now 18) , and the daughter is driving the silver car.

The daughter is the one who told me of his passing .He asked specifically that his DU friends be told of his passing

[madfloridian]

12. That story moved me so much.

I keep going back and reading segments all over again. It is like he was just talking to friends about his life.

:cry:

[blm]

14. I saw my little blm in so many of his stories.

It's funny - he seemed to think we led parallel lives in so many ways. Our Pawleys Island trips always took him back to his crabbin days and he'd rattle off the most tender stories..... and with always the tiniest wicked streak. heh

[Generic Other]

18. May the car always find its way home

:grouphug:

[madfloridian]

21. Karman Ghias are known to do that.

We used to drive back and forth to college in one of those..kind of crowded but a great car.

I guess that is what drew me to that part of the book.

[MuseRider]

13. Thank you for posting that.

There are so many great stories in that book.

You just made me smile, I think I may have to get out his book again and read some of the delightful things he wrote. He will be missed.

[madfloridian]

15. Treasure his journal.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/oneighty

"Have I grown too old to dream?
Posted by oneighty in The DU Lounge
Sat May 20th 2006, 01:20 PM
I wonder as I rush to my seventy second birthday. Now I see yesterday as being more interesting than tomorrow. It is like once when the motor on my crab boat quit and I waited patient for (perhaps) rescue. While I sat alone on my boat anchored up in the brown water salt creek surrounded by salt marsh grass I had no fears of yesterday or tomorrow. In the distance I could see the Cape Romain light house and the adjacent tower and I knew I was not alone. But now I am not so sure. 180"

[Kadie]

16. Thank you

Thank you for posting about his journal. It is indeed a treasure.

[KoKo]

20. I remember that post...think it was one of his last ones....

strikes a cord with my SC childhood growing up on an island and that's what I loved about his posts about the "marsh" and his years in SC.

:cry:

[file83]

17. Hey, that's cool!

What a sweet tribute.

[katinmn]

19. The journal entries are a gift from oneighty

O8) Thank you, sweetie.

My Secret Place. (Oh no it cannot be!)
Posted by oneighty in Writing Group
Wed Jan 12th 2005, 06:01 PM
Another poem by 180. Fear not I have only a few left!

My Secret Place.

An old man now I slip and stumble

Down a steep embankment.

I pause briefly to catch my breath,

My time held in abatement!

I see then with visions frozen,

Kaleidoscope scenes of times long passing!

Of childhood's dreams passing, flashing.

Of children crying, of children laughing.

On my galvanized feet a brook is splashing.

Great oak trees rise above me,

With acorns heavy on branches bending.

A thousand greens, their colors clashing.

Bubbling water with crayfish hiding

Beneath those stones each once familiar.

My rising sun shows streaks vermilion.

This secret place my God has given.

A time machine with endless cycles.

An eternal place without beginning.

A restful place which has no ending.

My secret place of childhood's yearning.


From 'Voyages of the Vicky Mary'

180

[Hand]

26. What a lovely man he was...

Farewell, oneighty--safe voyage and a swift return. :cry:

[madfloridian]

29. "Hey Gator? Whatcha be doing up there on the hill?

I posted this a couple of years ago, a transcription from his book.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
From my very special autographed copy of Oneighty's "Voyages of the Vicky Mary":

The Alligator
"Hey Gator? Whatcha be doing up there on the hill? Sunning, warming, waiting for the hunt, I bet. But you be where I wish to be. Soon he leaves splash."

"Where I work in the creeks and ditches of the Santee River Delta there are Alligators: big ones and little ones. This one was a big one, about ten feet long. With my thirty-two foot workboat the "Vicky Mary" I have towed my small boat up to the oyster bank that I have been planning to raid. I anchor up the Vicky and start paddling the little boat to the oyster bank. It is then I see the Gator! I toss a few oyster shells at him, holler, yell, and ask him to leave. Soon he get the message, raises high on his legs, and zips into the water."

It is a great little book which I keep handy by my computer, and I read portions along on it. I found I had ancestors in South Carolina who lived in the Santee area. I bet they saw lots of alligators, too. That was just after the Revolutionary War, long time ago. If 180 does a reprint, I hope he posts it here.

From my post in 2004
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=209&topic_id=787

[madfloridian]

30. The Vicky Mary....a pic..

And a last kick before this archives. If the scanned photo is not ok, I will take it down. It is just special.