Doug Vinson Poet Prose

Notes About The Poem

Scotty

I like the word "beastie," it sounds cute, it sounds Scottish.   I'm thinking like 'Scotty' on 'Star Trek' would say, the immortal James Doohan, who I would have figured for a Scotsman, but a Canadian was he, and a good life lived.  

On at least one episode of Star Trek he evinced a liking for 'Saurian brandy,' and 'tis certain sure that a stout beverage it would be.  While back in the real world, ol' Jimmy boy stormed Juno Beach, Normandy, on D-day, then that very following night a scared Canadian machine-gunner let loose as our intrepid James made his rounds, hitting him six times with "friendly fire" (now how tough would that have been, to swallow as a metaphor at the time?).  Improbable after that that life remained, middle finger, right hand, later had to be amputated, plus four shots to a leg, well now that would be thought to be well-nigh fatal, but no, and one in the chest besides, where a silver cigarette case preserved our man's life.

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Lynn Marie April 7, 2017 at 11:17 PM Love the history bit and nostalgia of this wonderful write Doug:) Gene Roddenberry was so far ahead of his time, a true original. A great nod to "Scotty" and a nice reminder of a time filled with possibilities. Nicely done. lynnxx Doug Vinson April 8, 2017 at 10:12 AM (((Lynn))). : )

Christina Baughman December 4, 2016 at 3:23 AM Good memories, Doug, thank you. Doug Vinson December 4, 2016 at 8:56 AM Those were the days...

Mark Kelley November 29, 2016 at 10:56 PM Thanks Doug, I'm sorry I didn't know how else just to reply to your message, some how I landed on one of Yvettes Poems about her dad and my Dad I guess to, i don't know , its still very hard for me to look at her stuff so I didn't read it. Thank you very much for your kind words , were you around when Yvette was here ? Doug Vinson November 30, 2016 at 7:09 AM Mark, you are more than welcome here. I've been on PoetrySoup for all of 2 weeks, so definitely a newcomer. I read some of Yvette's poems - she was a force to be reckoned with. No doubt it's painful for you, and I really cannot conceive how much.

CayCay Godwin November 29, 2016 at 3:31 PM i loved scottie - one of my favorite characters. i have never researched him and found this write informative, plus it pressed my nostalgic button. only 3 (or was it 2) seasons, yet the show is a lifetime memory, a lifetime family shared memory ... CayCay Doug Vinson November 29, 2016 at 3:54 PM CayCay, no doubt - only three seasons but significance enough to fill a starship. It was a real sweetspot for the U.S. - bright economy, the tail end of the 'good feelings' after World War II, and when the show debuted, we hadn't gotten too far into the unrest of the late 60s, Vietnam, etc., yet. So we felt inclusionistic, brotherly love, etc., and it was expressed as "aliens are people too."

Nette Onclaud November 29, 2016 at 2:50 PM wonderful microcosm of a legendary series from your creative viewpoint, doug... special toast to scotty-- a great character!.. huggs Doug Vinson November 29, 2016 at 3:02 PM Hi Nette. Thank you - it was a special show, symptomatic of the times, and I grew up watching it. Rest in Peace, Scotty.

Chris Green November 29, 2016 at 2:49 PM Six times, are you sure, you know Scotty always liked to exaggerate a bit. "Nay Captain, I couldn't possibly have the dilithium crystals on line in in anything less than four hours." "Make it two Scotty!" "Aye captain." Nice one my friend. Doug Vinson November 29, 2016 at 2:59 PM Ha - yeah, Chris, those TV people are sometimes miraculously capable; I guess that's how they speed things up to make room for so dang many commercials. One thing, though - without much if any exaggeration, Doohan could say that being a smoker saved his life.