Antique and Classic Boat Society - Chesapeake Bay Chapter

My Alien Encounter
by Scott Wahlberg

This may sound like a strange title for a story in an ACBS newsletter, but you'll understand as the story unfolds. My wife, Carol, and I have been attending the ACBS show at St. Michaels, Md. for some time now. Along with other outboard motor club members we set up a nice display for the 3 day show. This year was going about the same as prior years. Boats in the water and on land, our wonderful display and all the other stuff associated with the show. An outboard buddy of ours set up a display of stuff to sell. Not much outboard stuff, mostly nautical. There was a motor for sale that caught my eye though. On the back of his truck was a Clarke Troller. He immediately said that it would look nice in my collection. I know what these motors cost and since I like being married, I declined to buy the motor. Here's where the alien comes in. The next day while Jim Shotwell and I are going over the judging stuff in walks someone who looked exactly like my wife. She asked if I had seen the Clarke and if I was interested in buying it. I informed her that these little gems cost a fair amount of money and while I would like to own one I thought it best to decline. At this point I knew I was in the presence of an alien because she said that we had the money in the bank and that I should reconsider buying the Clarke, because it really would be a nice addition to my little motor collection. The alien and I went out to the motor for another look. I asked several times if she thought this was the right thing to do and was assured that we should make the purchase. I said OK and made arrangements to finish the deal the following weekend. I'm excited about having this motor to add to my "little motor" collection but I'm also afraid of what's going to happen when my wife finds out that this alien imposter talked me into getting the Clarke. If I'm not at the show next year it's either because my wife found out or because the alien abducted me.

Summer 2005 Stuffing Box Issue

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