What (WAS) for Dinner?

July 20, 1966

(VSM 98- where were the other Shaws? think they went shopping after seeing some friend?)
Wednesday
With the new bridge across Oregon Inlet we decided that this was the day to go to Okracoke and set off in two parties - GMA, GPA, Brian, Nancy & Cindy in one car, and
Bob, Kai, Robbo and me in the other. We drove directly down across the lovely new bridge - a semi circular track - it’s a long way down Hatteras and we noted places to see on the way back - sat in line for a while at the ferry and GPA decided not to wait so he and GMA, Cindy & I came back, leaving Kai , Rob, Brian and Nancy to go with Bob.
Hatteras Light
A Tale of Two Photographers. The picture on the left was taken by a Morbeck, experts at cutting "the feet" off whatever photographic subject is trying to be captured. The fine picture on the right was taken by Uncle John We all climbed up the stairs to the light chamber that day - as well as when we re visited in 1994. Everyone at the park was making a big deal of being able to go up in 1994, as the Lighthouse had been closed for "over 20 years!" Obviously this situation didn't bother me much as it was open for business both times I wanted to go.

VSM98-We did take a trip down the Outer Banks - I think the Laura Barnes and another
shipwreck were still on our island. Two cars went to Ocracoke - our station wagon and GPA’s Oldsmobile (not the one you had) We took the new bridge (had been a ferry the last time) to the other island and marveled at all of the Midgets (Family name in Hatteras area). When we came to the ferry, GPA didn’t want to be dependent on making the ferryback so Cindy and I traded places with whoever had been riding with GPA & GMA; Bear and his car full went down farther and Cindy and I were treated to a “nice lunch” - we all ordered cantaloupe and when our half cantaloupe which your chintzy mother would have served 2 or maybe 3 from a half cantaloupe but Cindy, a member of a large family too, looked at her cantaloupe with awe and said , “is that ALL for me?”
RM98 THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY THE DEFINING MOMENT OF THE ENTIRE DECADE!

At the "Laura Barnes" shipwreck

.........We had lunch at “Scotties” a fish sandwich which was fried bluefish (hot) on bread, very good. We went to the Cape Hatteras Light house and Cindy went up and we stopped at the wreck of the Laura Barnes (1921) - the big one high on the beach.
VSM98 There’s a picture of you, Brian and Nancy- you must have gone on the way back, too

...........We had dinner inside because it was getting so cold and windy. A north-easter is predicted but not by any one who is really meteor- logical I guess. The waves were high but the stars were out. The Okracoke group got home for a late supper - had lunch at quarter of 3 - all ordered cheeseburgers at Okracoke and found them unavailable - no hamburger! So they were glad to see the ham , etc.

RM99.......To this day I consider the hardship we endured on that trip to Ocracoke akin to the suffering one might have felt if one had been on Mao Tse-tung's Long March. Scotties! Bluefish sandwiches! We obviously backed the wrong horse in this race. Even now my stomach rumbles when I think of how we drove and drove and drove with nary a glimpse of relief. I'm reminded of an old quote from Ring Lardner, "I have often known Hunger; Then I would step into a restaurant."
Only there weren't any.