Speaker 1: Calarogu Shark Media.
Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to Romance Weekly. This episode is titled
Pirates of New York, Part One, A Storm to Remember.
Speaker 1: Kara Thompson stared out the bus window as the New
York City Skyline came into view at twenty five. This
was her first solo trip to the Big City, and
excitement bubbled in her chest. Growing up in Allentown, Pennsylvania,
she'd always dreamed of the bright lights and bustling streets
of NYC. First time in the city, the elderly woman
next to her asked kindly. Kara nodded, her blonde ponytail bouncing.
Is it that obvious? The woman chuckled, You've got that
wide eyed look. Don't worried. New York's a magical place.
You'll love it. As the bus pulled into Port Authority,
Kara gathered her backpack and stepped out into the chaos
of forty second Street. The noise, the smells, the sheer
energy of the place overwhelmed her senses. She pulled out
her phone, double checking the directions to her hostel in
the Lower East Side. After a nerve racking subway ride.
Was that man really eating a whole rotisserie chicken. On
the train, Kara emerged onto the streets of Lower Manhattan.
She found her hostel, a narrow building wedged between a
budaga and a vintage clothing store, and checked in. Her roommate,
A bubbly Australian named Emma, was already there. Gooday, first
time in the Big Apple, Kara laughed. Is there a
sign on my forehead or something? Emma grinned, Nah, just
a guess. So what's on your New York bucket list?
As they unpacked, Kara rattled off her plans Central Park,
the met Oh, and I really want to check out
South Street Seaport. I read online that they sometimes have
historical re enactors there. I've always been fascinated by Old
New York, especially the maritime history. Sounds like a plan,
Emma said, Mind if I tag along tomorrow, I could
use a guide to keep me on the right side
of the road. The next morning, Kara and Emma set
out to explore the city. They snapped selfie's in Times Square,
picnicked in Central Park, and got hopelessly lost in the
met By late afternoon, they were ready for their final stop,
South Street Seaport, as they approached the historic district. Kara's
eyes lit up at the sight of the tall ships
docked along the pier. Oh wow, she breathed, It's like
stepping back in time. Meanwhile, two hundred and forty years
in the past, the pirate ship the Salty Wench, cut
through the choppy waters near New York Harbor. Captain Jack
Rusty Cutlass stood at the helm, his weathered face creased
with concern as he eyed the ominous storm clouds gathering
on the horizon. Cap'n shouted first Mate peg Leg Peete,
hobbling across the deck, that their storm looks right nasty.
Shouldn't we be turning back? Rusty stroked his impressively unkempt beard,
narrowing his eyes at the approaching tempest. Turn back and
miss out on all the fun ha Rusty Cutlass fears
no stormy lily livered land lubber. As if on cue,
a bolt of lightning split the sky, followed by a
thunderous boom that shook the very planks beneath their feet.
All hands on deck, Rusty bellowed, his voice, carrying over
the howling wind. Batten down the hatches and hold onto
your breeches, boys, We're in for a wild ride. The
crew scrambled to secure the ship as the storm engulfed them.
Rain lashed at their faces and waves crashed over the sides,
threatening to sweep them overboard. Rusty clung to the ship's wheel,
squinting through the deluge. I've never seen a storm like this,
cap'n peg leg Peach, shouted, clinging to a nearby rope. Aye,
Rusty agreed, a hint of worry creeping into his voice.
There's something unnatural about this one. Suddenly, a blinding flash
of light enveloped the ship. Rusty felt a strange, tingling
sensation throughout his body, as if every hare was standing
on end. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the
storm subsided. Rusty blinked, rubbing his eyes as he tried
to adjust to the sudden brightness. As his vision cleared,
his jaw dropped in astonishment. Before them stood a skyline
unlike anything they had ever seen. Towering structures of glass
and steel reached towards the heavens, glittering in the sunlight.
Strange vessels of all shapes and sizes crowded harbor, none
of them bearing any resemblance to the ships they knew.
Shiver me timbers, Rusty breathe. I don't think we're in
Kansas anymore, Pete. Captain Pete replied, his voice quavering, we
weren't in Kansas to begin with. Rusty shot him a
withering look. It's an expression, your barnacle brained buffoon. As
they approached the harbor, they noticed a bustling marketplace filled
with colorfully dressed people. Signs advertised something called South Street Seaport.
Whatever that meant, well, lads, Rusty announced, straightening his tricorn hat.
Let's go see what kind of strange new world we've
stumbled upon. They docked their ship and disembarked, drawing curious
stairs from passers by. A small crowd began to gather,
pointing and whispering excitedly. Ahoy, they're good people, Rusty called out,
trying to sound authoritative despite his confusion. We be humble pirates,
seeking a directions. To his surprise, the crowd burst into applause.
A young man in strange, tight fitting trousers approached, holding
out a rectangular object. Dude, your costumes are amazing. Can
I get a selfie? Rusty blinked utterly, baffled. Uh waddy.
Before he could react, the young man had sidled up
next to him, held out the strange rectangle, and there
was a bright flash. Rusty yelped, stumbling backward. Witchcraft, he cried,
drawing his cutlass. The crowd, however, only seemed more delighted
by this display. Suddenly, people began tossing small metal disks
and colorful pieces of paper at their feet. Peg Leg
Pete bent down to examine them. Capt'n, he said, his
eyes wide with wonder. I think it's some kind of currency.
Rusty stroked his beard thoughtfully. Well, well, it seems these
strange folk appreciate a good pirate when they see one.
Perhaps this new world won't be so bad after all.
As the crew began scooping up their unexpected bounty, Kara
and Emma pushed their way through the growing crowd. Oh
my gosh, Kara exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. Emma, look,
they must be doing some kind of historical re enactment.
It looks so authentic. Emma squinted at the pirates. I dunno, Kara,
something seems a bit off about them. They look confused,
but Kara was already making her way towards Rusty, her
face alight with enthusiasm. Excuse me, she called out, Are
you guys really pirates? Rusty turned at the sound of
her voice, and for a moment he was struck dumb.
She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid
eyes on, even if her attire was peculiarly immodest. Aye las,
he managed to croak out, Captain Jack Rusty Cutlass, at
your service, and who might you be? Caara beamed, extending
her hand. I'm Kara from Allentown and visiting New York
for the weekend. This is so cool. I've always been
fascinated by pirates. As Rusty took her hand, feeling utterly
out of his depth, he couldn't shake the feeling that
his life was about to become very, very complicated. Meanwhile,
peg Leg Pete had wandered over to a nearby signpost.
Squinting at the unfamiliar words captain, he called out, his
voice filled with disbelief, you might want to take a
look at this. Rusty reluctantly tore his gaze away from
Kara and joined his first mate. There in bold letters
was a sign that read Welcome to South Street Seaport,
established nineteen sixty seven. Great Neptune's beard, Rusty muttered, I
think we're going to need a bigger boat. Kara, oblivious
to the pirate's true pers dicament, peppered Rusty with questions
about life at sea. What's it like to sail on
a real pirate ship? Have you ever found buried treasure? Oh?
And how do you keep your teeth so white without
modern dentistry? Rusty, still reeling from the shock of their
temporal displacement, struggled to keep up with her rapid fire inquiries. Well, Lass,
life at sea is a salty and as for me teeth,
I wait, what do you mean by modern dentistry? Emma,
watching the exchange with growing suspicion, tugged on Kara's arm. Caara,
I think we should go. These guys are taking this
role play a bit too seriously, but Kara was enchanted. Oh, Emma,
don't be such a spoil sport. This is the most
exciting thing that's happened all day. As the sun began
to set on their first day in this strange new world,
Rusty and his crew found themselves facing an uncertain future,
but with a pocket full of mysterious currency and the
promise of advance and perhaps romance on the horizon, the
pirate captain couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. So,
Captain Cutlass, Kara said, her eyes sparkling with mischief, what's
next on your New York adventure? Rusty glanced at his
bewildered crew, then back at the captivating young woman before him.
With a roguish grin, he declared, well me, dear, I reckon,
We're about to embark on the greatest plunder of our lives.
The question is are you brave enough to join us?
As night fell over the South Street Seaport, the stage
was set for a time bending, swashbuckling adventure that would
turn both Kara's and Rusty's worlds upside down. New York
City in twenty twenty four was about to experience a
pirate invasion like no other, and neither the past nor
the present would ever be the same again.
Speaker 2: Romance Weekly is a production of Calaroga Shark Media executive
producers Mark Francis and John McDermott. Portions of this podcast
may have been created with the assistance of Ai
Speaker 1: Calaroga Shark Media