That is Priceless by Steve Melcher for March 19, 2025

/// To The Boat Hangar Xavier went,

haggling for a cheap rowboat to rent.

Rochelle’s holding the oars,

(she’ll do all rowing chores);

Xavier’s cross-bow ensures her consent.

“I hope your boats aren’t as leaky as your roof.”

Because rowing’s a sport ‘e adores /

‘E always brings along ‘is own ‘ores/

Then lets them do the rowing/

Til they cannot keep going/

And when they’re exhausted- ‘e scores.

“Good morning my friend. I need a boat. Can you recommend anywhere?”

It’s an interlude between wars*/

An Age everybody adores:/

Nobody dares knock/

That brief “Belle Époque”:/

(He’s just renting a couple of “oars”)

.*Franco-Prussian 1871. WWI 1914-1918

‘’I told this lady I was going to show her my Boston Whaler…..you don’t have one of those lying around by any chance; Do you?

Someone’s about the start a row.

If he thinks this will help him score with that lady, he’s not rowing with both oars in the water.

“So we’re supposed to turn them over before putting them in the water?! You should have said so in the first place!”

No, no boat. We just want to rent the paddles to try something different.

The boys always thought Gertrude would end up at the oar house.

I’m inspector Clouseau and I know that you have a stack of skulls here somewhere.

She said a yacht would get her knickers off; this is as close as I can afford.

“It’s bad enough I get stuck rowing the dámn boat” grumbles Genevieve, " but I’ve got to stand around holding these dámn oars, while he spends all day bullshíting with his pals!"