On Tue, 5 Aug 2008 16:32:39 -0300, "Don White"
wrote:


"Vic Smith" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:50:14 +0000, Larry wrote:



The only thing it lost was the master cylinder in the hydraulic brakes.
The hand brake worked good until I saved up enough money to buy a new
master cylinder on my measily $100 Navy check....

Reminds me. In the Med in '64 I signed up for stateside delivery of a
Triumph Spitfire. $500 down, taken right from my Navy payroll.
One of those deals where vendors come aboard.
Back in the states my ma talked me into not going through with the
deal. Lost the $500, about half a years salary.
No biggie. Didn't need much money then. But it does **** me off now
when I think about it. Could have invested that in IBM. Uh huh.
Think I spent the same with another ship vendor the next Med trip for
Encyclopedia Americana delivered to my ma's house, but that was
actually worth it.

--Vic

You have to wonder what the ships social committee made off those deals.

Social committee? Never heard of that, and never gave any thought
about the vendors got aboard, or how they were vetted.
Seemed they were on the up and up, and I bought some nice stuff to
bring home as gifts for family. German cutlery and Venetian glass is
what I remember.
I was a kid and probably waited too long to cancel the deal, and maybe
didn't read the fine print. Can't remember the details, but never
considered blaming the Navy. It was my fault, and the experience
always kept me on my toes in future transactions.
Only thing I had against the Navy was them pulling a molar of mine
that was aching in Naples. I'd still have that tooth now if they did
a root canal. We were in for a few days, but the guy was pull-happy.
Maybe even penicillin would have fixed it. I still remember the Lt.
with big forearms straining to pull it out.
His swabby assistant walked away not wanting to watch and the Lt.
yelled at him, "Get your ass back here and hold his head!"
Lots of blood. ****ers. But hey, that's the Navy.
Another Lt. at NAS Norfolk did an excellent job saving a dead front
tooth I had chipped as a kid. Win some, lose some.

--Vic