Oh, it's gotten much nicer now, Frogprince. Now they insist on sixteen.

When I was a young deckhand one warm evening in the Canary Islands, the chief officer invited me to go walk the town as we both had shore leave and nothing to do. So we walked the streets of Las Palmas, and this lady merchant sailed up and accosted us. Being young, I was sumbstruck but the Chief was unfazed.

"L'amor? L'amor?, she asked plaintively.

"Que?"

"L'amor? Focky-focky? Trente pesetas..."

He looked at her sadly and shook his head.

"L'amor no esta la focky-focky. Esta differente!"

She looked at him in disgust and cruised on into the night.


A