EDMOND — Ahoy, matey, International Talk Like a Pirate Day is Wednesday, and ye’d best be gettin’ prepared for it.
Bruce and Mindy Baldwin, owners of Java Dave’s at 9 S. Broadway, did their part to get in the spirit Saturday by hosting a gang of swarthy pirates in their downtown coffeehouse.
Several members of the Redland Rogues from the Redland Fencing Center in Oklahoma City staged a brawl at the restaurant to get people in a pirate mood, said Chas Fagans, one of the testy pirates.
The group acts out stage combat scenes from historical times and places, carefully choreographing their action with authentic costumes and weapons. They travel to schools, medieval and renaissance fairs and other events throughout the metro area.
“But we love doing pirates,” Fagans said.
According to the Web site www.talklikeapirate.com, two friends named John Baur and Mark Summers had the bright idea to institute a new national holiday, Talk Like a Pirate Day, in 1995. They declared Sept. 19 as the official date, because it was Summers’ ex-wife’s birthday and therefore easily remembered.
The two celebrated on a small scale until 2002, when they decided to contact syndicated columnist Dave Barry and tell him about their holiday.
Barry obligingly wrote a column about the event, and the news piqued the interest of pirate wannabes across the world. Now there are Web sites, books, magazines, songs, T-shirts and social groups dedicated to pirate speak.
Baur and Summers say pure silliness is the holiday’s best selling point, and they don’t intend to glorify the bad deeds committed by pirates of old. They just think it’s entertaining for people across the world to have a chance to say things like “Arrr” and “Shiver me timbers” in polite conversation.
As for the Redland Rogues, they found themselves banished to the street after “disrupting” customers at Java Dave’s, but they took it all in good humor, as did the restaurant’s owners.
“We like to do crazy things around here,” Mindy Baldwin said.
“We encourage everyone to talk like a pirate and have some fun in the middle of the week for Talk Like a Pirate Day.”
acollinsworth@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 117
The Details
A quick guide to basic pirate speak
“Ahoy!” — Hello.
“Avast!” — Stop and give attention.
“Aye!” — Yes.
“Arrr!” — Can mean pretty much anything, from “My team is going to win it all” to “That was a clever remark you or I just made.”
Source: www.talklikeapirate.com
Features
Related Photos
-
Drew Harmon
-
Drew Harmon
-
Drew Harmon
-
Drew Harmon
Discussion
Arrr! Pirates swing into downtown Edmond
Local restaurant previews Talk Like a Pirate Day on Wednesday
- Features
-
-
Special care needed for senior pets
Q: I have a black Labrador mix that is starting to get gray hair around her muzzle. Baby is only 6 years old and we have taken very good care of her. She has always had her shots, she was spayed as a puppy, is on monthly heartworm preventative and is a good weight for her body size at 66 pounds. Is she really already a senior citizen, and what should we watch for? We love her very much and want to keep her healthy and happy as long as possible.
-
High self-esteem, reward system can backfire
The media recently reported “new” research findings to the effect that rewards often backfire and self-esteem is not the wonderful, uplifting personal attribute once thought. As a result, schools are rethinking their teaching and classroom management philosophies.
-
When rooms talk, it’s time to remodel
I think I might need a keeper. Every room in this house is screaming at me (some more loudly than others), and the cacophony is driving me nuts. You know how it goes. You spruce up one room (in my case the kitchen), and every other room in the house clambers for its share of TLC too.
-
Seminar focuses on pet allergies
Paul DeMars, DVM, Community Practice at Oklahoma State University’s Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, will present a Pet Care Seminar at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the McElroy Hall Auditorium at the corner of Farm Road and McFarland on the Stillwater OSU campus.
-
Canadian Carnaval is cool carousing
Yes, I have the coolest job in the world — and I visit some really cool places. But the spot that takes the Popsicle is Québec with the Carnaval de Québec and the Hôtel de Glace.
-
Wobblers syndrome is chronic, progressive
Q: I have an 8-year-old dog that is three-quarters Doberman Pinscher. He always has been quite active and healthy until about a month ago when he began showing slight signs of weakness and stiffness in his hind legs, but didn’t exhibit pain. He’s worse now.
-
Today’s children are being mis-educated about their feelings
Margaret Thatcher, former prime minister of England, once said, “One of the great problems of our age is that we’re governed by people who care more about feelings than they do about thoughts and ideas.”
-
Purging of high heels brings despair
If you recall, last week I promised that you had heard the last of my New Year’s purging of closets and cabinets.
-
Why does my dog eat his own poop?
Q: My dog Max has suddenly started eating his own poop, and I find it totally disgusting.
-
Good Eats
PORK CHOPS WITH ORANGES AND PARSLEY
- More Features Headlines
-
Special care needed for senior pets
