In late October 2022, I embarked on my third one-month long trip of the year. This time, I would be stationed in Mukilteo WA. Earlier in the year, during a trip to Seattle (my second) I took a ferry to Bainbridge Island. I enjoyed this very much so when I saw there was a ferry a couple miles from my hotel to Whidbey Island, I knew I had to check it out.
So on a Saturday morning, I took the walk to the ferry. I was a bit disappointed to find that the transit time on the water was a fraction of what it was to Bainbridge. But like that earlier trip, I had zero itinerary. I didn’t know what I would do, where I would go, or when I’d turn back. So I walked into the island with my head on a swivel, seeing what kind of trouble I could get into.
It was too early for lunch, so after I walked around for a spell, I took a seat at a bus stop and just passed the time of day. Then I noticed a thrift store nearby. Noon was approaching and this seemed like a perfect way to kill the last fleeting moments before I reached an acceptable time of day to consume additional foods and alcohol.
2nd Hand Booty is a small store and the proprietor was behind the counter dressed as a pirate. At the time I attributed this to Halloween which was only two days away. But as I type this I now notice the pirate reference in the name. This leaves me to ponder if this fellow dresses like this everyday? A few others were in there with me, peeking at items and treading carefully amongst the shelves and piles of things. In a back room, I found the vinyl.
This was a varied heap of platters – some nice ones in there as well. Not in a classic way, or even in a way that I am particularly prone to enjoy, but I respect whoever owned this collection. I very nearly purchased the Airto record, it had the original inner sleeve and all. I am not one for folk music but if I was, or wanted to make a more concerted effort, I might try for Mr. Jansch. I don’t remember ever seeing one of his releases in a thrift store.
In the end I bought neither. What I did do is walk back to Cozy’s where I had fish and chips and a beer. Then a second beer which was nearly (but only nearly) ill-advised. The ferry took me back to the mainland where I grabbed bus #113 back to my hotel (I didn’t feel like another 2 1/2 miles on foot). I laid down and slept pretty well for about 2 hours after that. I very well may return to Clinton before I go home, maybe I’ll even grab the Airto record next time.
