Dink, the DooDaa Man

Meet the DooDaa man in October of 1983..About the third trip on the shrimp boat with Capt. Rudy we had rolled in the day before and unloaded our shrimp then came back the next morning to sell some lobster tail and shark, side money. Hit the fish house about 9am and unloaded our spoils, split the cash and decided to take a run to Ft.Lauderdale..and do some exploring..So I'm down in the galley packing up a road bag when I hear this high pitched, nerve rattling way to long laugh coming out of the wheel house..not once but over and over..I got to go up and see what this inhuman giggle belongs too..

That's when I meet the DooDaa man..Me and the Rude Dog hung the handle Dink on him, no idea where it came from but we tossed it at him and it stuck..DooDaa came from the song Truck'n and he was a dedicated deadhead..Road warrior and back roads riding traveler..Smart, educated and lost all at once...Had been accepted to Cal-Poly when Viet Nam snatched away from his life and goals..did his time there and had the scars to prove it..he never talked about it and out of respect I never asked..Sometimes sitting with him you could almost feel the turmoil in his head but the smile never left his face..

So after an hour or so of talking and having my nerves grated by the laugh I attempt to bow out and get pointer toward the interstate 75 sign..Dink say's mind if I ride along..damn but sure let's roll..We fire them up and roll to Ft.Lauderdale, find a beach shack and I get to know the Dink..we lived life from an opposite approach I was hard charging, party till you drop, wake up and do it again. Dink savored life, slow and relaxed..I found I could enjoy it too if I tried..the goofy laugh sorta and grew on you and Dinks life views where fun to listen too..

We rode out the next day..down the 1 to Key Largo then back across on the 41, Alligator alley to Ft. Meyers..Had the pleasure of riding with the Dink one more time that year,,we rode to Cuba Town in Tampa and ate killer Cuban sandwiches and smoked a few cigars..After that I trip I ran into the Dink a couple of times in Texas at the docks and never again since..

A couple of weeks or so back Capt.Rudy the Rude Dog called and said guess who showed up at the door a few days ago..the Dink..he is doing good, looking good and still a gypsy a true nomad in the wind...Dink my old friend I hope someday we cross paths or you sit down and read your story..FTW Dink..just you and the wind..

Rat