BBQ AFLOAT ON A BOAT

I had heard about this guy named ,  “Mo”. Some how his name was short for “Hezekiah” . How did that happen ?  Got around to talking to some river rats on my way to see this guy and his Smokin’ boat.  Naturally my curiosity was peaked and his name always popped up. The answer was always the same. “ Ask me o’no questions and I will tell you o’ no lies”.  Was the best  response that I could get.  Probably because they didn’t know.  ‘Cause no one ever told them,  specially Mo.

This was a new one for me.  Smoking BBQ on a boat and bringing it to what ever folks around here wanted it. An enterprise undertaken because of hard times and need to make a living. The river he plied was long and tricky.  Sand bars always changing positions and hard to navigate for someone who didn’t understand the shifting waters.  It was risky business to do business. On this waterway.  Today was Tuesday and he was due to hit this part of the county.  Bringing smoked pork and smoked pulled chicken and ribs that no one really talked about.  Matter of fact I was more curious about his name than his BBQ. 

The sound from it’s steam whistle awoke me from a semi conscience day dream. There it was coming around the bend of that sandy bottom river.  It looked as if it was about 38 ft long with a flat bottom. High gunnels and a full array of smoking gear. The smoke permeating the air with a sweet spicy hickory flavor.  The name on the raised and squared off bow said ,  “Mo” over white paint that needed to be, let  us say, refreshed.

I made my way up the gang plank with the other folks that lined up along the bank.  Before I ripped off that first bite of smoked ribs and picked at my pulled pork and chicken, I asked  how did he get “Mo” from Hezekiah. “ Hell” ,  he said from below the peak of a well worn cap.  “ Mo” is short for Missouri . I just didn’t have enough paint to finish the other letters.  I then took a taste of his well seasoned rubbed BBQ totally perplexed.
 
Next I asked,  “how and why did you get into this commercial enterprise”. He replied with a snort. "Hell this ain’t no enterprise,  it’s an activity".  How was the BBQ you wanna know ?  “ Ask me o’ no questions and I will tell you o’ no lies”.