This is the Crab Inn, a pub on the Isle of Wight, UK. I spent many an afternoon and evening there as a young Marine. Our ship needed repairs and we docked at Portsmouth, England for 3 weeks. I took some time off and headed out to see the sights. I boarded a train and took a short hop to the island, getting off at a town called Shanklin. Walking down the street I turned into this inviting place. It is just as you can imagine. A long bar lined with taps of light and bitter, ale, Guinness, cider, etc. Dart boards and a billiard table along with some comfy booths, a potbellied stove on an old wood floor filled the darkened, grass thatched pub. The barmaid with her thick British accent took my order and I had a glass of dark and bitter. I spoke with the barmaid making small talk when an elderly woman seated next to me asked; Are you a Yank? Yes, I answered. She went on to explain how her first husband was an American pilot with the RAF who was shot down and killed during the Battle of Britain. I offered my condolences. She invited me to dinner at her place and to meet her daughter. I readily accepted. Was I in for a shock. We pulled up to a mansion situated on the white cliffs overlooking the English Channel with more cliffs behind the home. Her daughter came down stairs and was stunningly beautiful, as was her friend. Her daughter was a professional model and showed me her portfolio. I was very surprised, as these were not catalogues but the covers of Vogue, Mademoiselle, Cosmo, etc. She was a top European model. Her ebony skinned friend was just as beautiful and was an actress from France who worked on Britains Broadway. We had a lovely meal with homemade wine slightly laced with hallucinogenic mushrooms and after dinner I was shown outside, where behind the home was a cave in the cliffs. Inside was delightful, as there was a bar carved straight out of the rock. We had some more drinks and I retired upstairs for the night. No, I did not bed either of the lovely beauties, but the model signed a picture of herself and wrote; To James, a fellow Pisces, Love, Margo and then imprinted her lips on it with lipstick. Quite a memento to bring home to the boys back on ship. There is so much more to this story, but I have taken enough of your time.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Jul 2014 14:38:38 +0000
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