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Stories, History, and Tributes Got a story to tell about your childhood, someone you admired, or some interesting history to share? This is the place!

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  #1  
Old 07-15-2010, 02:10 AM
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Default The Old Skiff and Unanswered Prayers

Etymology teaches us that the word, "Skiff" has been used over the years to mean a small boat. It gets more complicated than that, but most of us understand what a skiff is. It's a flat bottomed, easily built utility vessel with a pointed bow.

The other day, I was in a New Orleans cemetery, paying my respects to many relatives now passed on. On the way to see my great grandfather, I happened upon a relatively new internment, that of Mato Zibilich. Mato figures in this story because he was the last owner of a skiff. He passed away in 2008. I spent several moments at his grave asking the question, "Mato, why didn't you let me buy that skiff?"

This story has deep roots, going back decades to my father's early years on Bayou Cook. He spent vacations and Summers out on the bayou with "The Old Man", that's the name we've given to my long deceased great grandfather. His story has been told here and in other places, so I won't reiterate it, save for a few necessary details.

I guess this all begins about 1945. My father was 7 years old. In his time spent with the Old Man, he became particularly attached to an old, broken down skiff that sat on his shell pile at his camp on Bayou Cook. He asked the Old Man if he could have it. The Old Man's response was typical, "Littlee boy, you don't vant dat old skiff. Eeet noting but trouble for joo."

As the years passed, my father pressed on. He was born in New Orleans of a father from Freeport, Texas and a mother from Empire, La. (The Old Man being her father, from Croatia). Dad lived in Port Sulphur, La. where his father worked for the Freeport Sulphur Company. Despite his incessant interrogations, the Old Man refused to give him the old skiff. One day, rather inexplicably, the skiff arrived on a truck, a gift from the Old Man. Well, dad was now about 11 years old. His father being from Texas had no real interest in fishing, yet he did what he could to encourage the enterprise by getting a handy-man friend of his to set about making the old skiff sea worthy.

A few cypress planks purchased in New Orleans, and a good deal of elbow grease and the old skiff was ready to brave the bayous. The wife of the handyman was a big country-western fan. She was specifically a fan of the star, Minnie Pearl. So Dad Christened his little skiff the "Minnie Pearl" in her honor.

Myriad days were spent on the vessel fishing and crabbing. For a while, my father and his friends even built little fishing shanties on a spoil bank, replete with window dressings sewn by my grandmother. Alas the lumber for these huts had been "Midnight Requisitioned" from the site of the new Baptist Church being built in town. That is another story, but the ill fated shanties would be burned to protect the jobs of the fathers of the guilty parties.

The Minnie Pearl continued as a fixture in Dad's life. He played hookie to fish in "The Cut" out of Port Sulphur. One fine day he finally convinced his father, whom I called, "Paw", to join him. Paw had thought fishing to be a childish diversion. Yet he had finally relented to my father's constant invitations.

They rowed out of the local cut into a channel and hooked into a school of trout. The action was furious. They only quit when the boat was so full of fish, they risked foundering. Keep in mind, this was on cane poles, or what they old timers called, "Slaughter Poles." This is how a boy hooked his father on fishing. This small event would have far reaching consequences to my life.

The story of the Minnie Pearl would continue through many twists already told on the pages of this site or others. I still revel in the stories my father tells of the adventures he had on her decks. But I must eventually get to the subject at hand.

In the year 1984, I was 11 years old. I had seen the old skiff for years, derelict on the shell pile beside Mato's fishing camp across the bayou. I wanted my own boat. After a front porch telling of the Minie Pearl story, I asked my dad if Mato would ever think of selling me that boat on his shell pile. I wanted to re-live my dad's old story. So, upon coming home that weekend, Dad called Mato. He asked if he would sell the old skiff. He refused. He called again sometime later after we had discussed a plan we thought he would surely go for. I dreamed often of having the old skiff, and fishing the marshes with her. I prayed every night that she would be mine.

We would take the skiff and refurbish her entirely. We'd pay him for her and I would use her when I was in the bayou. Upon leaving, we would leave her where she sat now, so that old Mato could use her if he wished. It would still be his boat, and it would be all fixed up, but I could use it when I was there. Again, sadly, Mato refused.

The years went by and I found several boats in the marsh over the years that would serve me wonderfully. I would become King of the marsh, as I thought, with my grand Rebel Navy as I called it. Always my eyes would survey the bayou and land upon the old skiff, still sitting where she had been left some decades before. I always looked upon that skiff with great avarice, knowing that she could serve as a connection between me and my fatherr's childhood.

She stood there for years, unloved, unused, and neglected. When my camp blew away in Danny in '97, she was still there. The shell pile sinking and the camp looking as uncared for as ever. Mato still lived, but I knew the answer, so I didn't ask. I wish I had. Katrina came in 2005, taking his camp and the old skiff. Only God knows where she lies at this moment.

Mato died in 2008, and there I stood at his grave. I asked, "Mato, why wouldn't you sell me that old skiff? It would have meant my world to me." Alas there was no answer, just as there had been no answer to my prayers. The prayers of a little boy, trying to be like his daddy.

I'll never know why Mato refused. Perhaps he had plans for her and never got around to it. We all have unanswered prayers. I can only think that I would have lost her to Katrina anyway. So in some ways it might be better that I never had her.

Here's to the Minnie Pearl II. She never was, except in my imagination. - Sandy

PS: I've included a picture I found on the net. This is what she would have looked like had old Mato allowed me to fix her.
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File Type: jpg Skiff 2.jpg (97.6 KB, 337 views)
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  #2  
Old 07-15-2010, 04:53 AM
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Another good one, put them all together in a collection so others can enjoy.
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  #3  
Old 07-15-2010, 08:26 AM
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Nice memory
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  #4  
Old 07-15-2010, 08:35 AM
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longsidelandry longsidelandry is offline
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Awesome story, I really enjoy reading your stories. I think Shad should make a new section in the forum for 'Stories' that way everything can be in one central place. I really think you should put all your stories into a book of some sort. These are the things alot of people love to read about, I know I sure do.
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Old 07-15-2010, 09:12 AM
LaAngler LaAngler is offline
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very nice, wow, our fishing boats sure have evolved over the years.
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  #6  
Old 07-15-2010, 09:27 AM
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Great story, Sandy! I never knew the whole story of the Minnie Pearl.


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Originally Posted by longsidelandry View Post
Awesome story, I really enjoy reading your stories. I think Shad should make a new section in the forum for 'Stories' that way everything can be in one central place. I really think you should put all your stories into a book of some sort. These are the things alot of people love to read about, I know I sure do.
Yep, I thought about doing that when I was reading some of BananaTom's stories. Just never got around to it. What do y'all think?
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Old 07-15-2010, 12:14 PM
craziekajn craziekajn is offline
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I think it is a great idea shad. I think a stories forum would be good to boost membership. Get the guest hooked on the strories then let them join to really meet the authors.
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  #8  
Old 07-15-2010, 12:39 PM
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I think it would be awesome Jeff... I look forward to reading sandy's stories. Their very interesting. Maybe BananaTom and coachlaw could type up stories for us to read.
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  #9  
Old 07-15-2010, 02:28 PM
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That would be awesome if you could do that Shad! Whoever thought about that must be a geniass...
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Old 07-15-2010, 07:15 PM
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I agree about a story page. Coach's stories are one of my favorite reads. And Salty's sarcasm during football of course.
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  #11  
Old 07-15-2010, 10:20 PM
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Hmmm......bruces stories should keep the page lively!!!???
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  #12  
Old 07-15-2010, 10:21 PM
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Hmmm......bruces stories should keep the page lively!!!???
Those belong in the pig pen
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Old 07-15-2010, 10:22 PM
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Bruce's stories suck. His pictures aren't all that bad tho
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Old 07-15-2010, 10:24 PM
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Quote:
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Bruce's stories suck. His pictures aren't all that bad tho
stop hijackin! Man I got some great stories, I just can't post many of them. I wish I could write like Sandy.
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  #15  
Old 07-15-2010, 10:26 PM
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Quote:
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stop hijackin! Man I got some great stories, I just can't post many of them. I wish I could write like Sandy.
I agree coach...Its nice to see you back!! Thanks for sharing!
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  #16  
Old 07-16-2010, 08:04 AM
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Done!
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