Betty Parks talks about Silas

Hi, I'm Betty. Blonde haired, blue eyed and 65yrs old! Not every mans dream nowadays with my varicose veins and wrinkles galore, but I was pretty all-right when Silas crossed my path. He was a Second Mate at the time we met, all smart and made me go all gooey inside in that uniform that he wore. The way he talked, all mysterious and worldly-wise, my heart just fell head over heels in love.

We got married and stuck it out for a few years, I mean make no mistake, they were good years all right but just not enough of them I suppose. He made Captain and I made a couple of kids. I'm still in love with the silly old sod, but he left me along time ago. He likes to say that I left him for another man but that is not true. He left because he was drunk all the time, not harmful mind you, just happily pickled, asleep or in the pub most selling sea stories to whoever would listen. One day I told him that I would leave him if he didn't stop drinking and so he went out for a packet of cigs and never came back! To say I was shocked was an understatement, a threat I made but certainly one that I had no intention of keeping. But he left and I just got on with life, brought up the children without the smell of alcohol seeping out of the chairs and walls and still dream of him today …. Oh, Silas I would still take you back if you came through that door now!

I can see why he left me, the sea was his life. The sea and a bottle of gin was all that he wanted from the world, and I suppose the rigors of a wife and kids just got in the way of all of that. He really showed up bad one time when I went to sea with him. He was a sort of new Captain and me (without children) ready to see the world and my husband's life. Oh, he could certainly handle his crew but I and his crew just set him off like a madman. He was unable to accept that I would socialize with his crew, probably thought that I would sit in his cabin all day knitting or reading romance novels. But I didn't do that! From the first day onboard I got into my stride, organizing the lads into dart teams, running rings around the cook and supping drinks with gusto in the ships bar. And all of this caused a massive blob of jealousy to swell up inside of my dear old soak!

Over a few weeks he saw my smiles or even my "hellos" to any other person onboard as an immediate offer to jump into bed with them. For my sake and for the ships sake I spent the last couple of weeks onboard in the cabin knitting and reading romantic novels. I had to, as dear old Silas looked as if he was going to blow a blood vessel or commit murder. He went weird and towards the end even I could not talk to him let alone any of his crew. Looking back I can laugh but at the time - it was hell for all onboard.

Anyway, we made port and I escaped quickly down the gangway and away. From what I gather my departure allowed the ship to get back to normal and Silas became the cool, calm and collected skipper that he once had been. I never went to sea again!

We carried on for a couple more years; did the baby thing and all of that but I think my trip to sea was the start of the end. He couldn't hack it - too much responsibility and all of that.

As I said before if my dear old Silas walked through that door now I would welcome him back. I never married again and I presume that he never did so …….my love still remains you silly old fart.