Math for Marines, and More

 In 1664, King Charles II had been told strange stories of fish that could fly.  Before dismissing this story, he summoned an officer of the Royal Marines to his court and the officer verified the existence of such creatures.  The king then declared that in all such matters, these stories should be told to the Marines as they have surely been everywhere and seen everything.

Here are a couple Sea Stories for your consideration.

The Marine Corps offers a correspondence course titled, Math for Marines.  The title is often included in friendly barbs among Marines, usually when someone makes an obvious math error.  The title also connotes that there are special mathematical rules that apply only to Marines, and perhaps there are.  Several years ago outside the base at 29 Palms, California, there was a fast food special:  Tacos 3 for a Dollar; Limit 8.

I was at an auction in western Oklahoma one Saturday and the auctioneer was taking bids on a fairly new dishwasher.  The dish-washing unit was a brand name and in good shape, but the bidding had stalled at about sixty dollars—considerably less than the auctioneer’s expectation.  As the washer was about to go at a real bargain, an old timer in the back of the crowd yelled, “It’s cheaper than marrying one.” 

In some parts of this country the old timer would have been drummed out of town for being sexist, antifeminist, or some other such label.  In western Oklahoma on a Saturday afternoon,  the bidding  resumed immediately after the laughter died down.

Like these?  Then you will love Sea Stories.

More about Tom Spence.