Gay Dolphin trip led to trick on parents 30 years later

The Gay Dolphin Gift Cove is more than a legendary tourist shop. It was once the source of a prank I pulled on my parents.

Those of you who vacation at Myrtle Beach know that the Gay Dolphin is, as its website says, “Myrtle Beach’s oldest, largest, and most unique gift shop. The Gay Dolphin has been an anchor of the Myrtle Beach community since the 1940s.”

So, of course, it was a must-see site in late summer of 1964 when my buddy Ken and I went to the beach for a week before the beginning of our senior year of high school.

We had worked all summer and we wanted to get away before the rigors of school. Ken’s Uncle Fred, accompanied by his pal Harold, gave us a ride to Myrtle. 

We stopped at a boarding house less than a block from the beach. Ken and I both handed over a twenty to rent a room for a week. Fred and Harold then left us to drive back to Franklinville.

Mama hadn’t really wanted me to go since I had been saving my money for college. But I assured her that I needed the relaxation after toiling all summer in the cotton mill.

For that reason, Ken and I bought groceries to provide our nourishment — bread and mayo and lunch meats for sandwiches during the duration. It was only on the last day before his aunt came to pick us up that we splurged at a fish house.

Ken was half fish and spent much of his time in the waves. I, on the other hand, tried reading a book on the sand before getting restless and running on the beach.

There were lots of things to do but most required money. So I would walk through the amusement park and watch other people on the rides. Or amble up and down Ocean Boulevard.

Then there was the Pavilion, where I spent a lot of time watching Mack Miller drawing people’s faces for $3.

I also browsed the Gay Dolphin and found some postcards with photos of the area. 

Fast-forward 30 years later to about 1994, when Ginny and I took our daughter Laura and her friend Angie to Myrtle Beach. It was in the cooler months so bathing in the ocean was out of the question.

So we spent our time moseying around the city and looking at the sights. One of them was the Gay Dolphin. While looking around, I found some of those picture postcards, some of them from the ’60s.

I picked out a couple of cards that featured cars from the period. I had this idea …

When we got back to our motel, I found a pencil and began writing on one of the cards. It was like I was back in 1964.

I wrote about what Ken and I had been doing, the Pavilion, the beach and our room.

I addressed it to my parents and signed it with something like, “See you soon. Your son.”

Then I mailed the card.

A few days later, after we returned home, Ginny and I went to my parents’ home. We hadn’t more than gotten in the door when Daddy said with excitement in his voice, “Guess what we got in the mail?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said nonchalantly. “What is it?”

“This postcard came from Myrtle Beach,” he said. “It appears to be from when you and Ken went to the beach in the ’60s. It must have gotten lost in the mail.”

I took the postcard and looked it over. Then I handed it back and said, “Gotcha!”

I explained that we had found the postcard at the Gay Dolphin and I just had to make it appear that I had sent it 30 years ago.

“You joker you! We’ll get you back for that.”

It may have been the best trick I ever pulled off. Thank you, Gay Dolphin.

■ Larry Penkava, is a writer for Randolph Hub. Contact: 336-302-2189, larrypenkava@gmail.com.