Avast ye, mateys! It’s time to take a break from the English Comp. and Modern Languages homework and brush up on your Pirate lingo for the Thursday, September 17 Scorch on the Porch “Talk Like a Pirate Day” is the theme for the second Scorch this semester, and it will be the best yet. Based on the international Talk Like a Pirate Day every Sept. 19, the Memorial Union Operations is hosting an afternoon of island tunes, Caribbean grub, cheap pirate-themed booty from the bookstore and festivities on the north side of Memorial Union from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

“This Scorch is going to be a lot of fun,” said director of the Memorial Union, Kathy Reser. This may be the fourth year Scorch on the Porch has used the pirate theme, but, “It gets better every year!” Reser said.

Everyone is welcome to join in with the festivities and lunch. The lunch menu includes Caribbean fried rice with shrimp, wedge of pineapple and “beachcomber” cookies.  The meal is $5 including tax and payable with the iCard. Landlubbers will be able to enjoy the outdoors and their grub while listening to a live band perform. Urban Safari, a local Topeka favorite, will be setting the mellow mood and island flavor with their reggae jams. Lead vocalist of Urban Safari, Scotty Riddim, was in the Grammy-nominated “Blue Ribbim Band.”

The Memorial Union Operations will be bringing special guests to enhance this Scorch’s theme. Captain Jack and Captain Hector will be familiar “pirates of the Caribbean” attending the event in full buccaneer regalia.

“The students will definitely want to come to this one,” Reser said. “They should bring their cameras!”

The fun does not stop with the picture opportunities. Everyone is encouraged to get their own pirate name and name tag at one of the booths. There will be an activity with a key, a treasure chest and, if successful with the day’s plunder, some “booty” in the form of a prize. The Washburn Bookstore sidewalk sale will be featuring pirate costumes and “Talk Like A Pirate Day” T-shirts. There will also be DVD’s and CD’s on sale for $5. If one cannot pay with Spanish gold medallions, cash, debit, credit or BodBucks will suffice.

With the summer weather drawing to a close, this Scorch on the Porch will allow students to enjoy the weather with good food and music. Kay Farley, director of the Washburn Bookstore, said this Thursday’s Scorch will be a “Wonderful day to have fun,” and, “Arrrgh, the students need to be there.”

For more information on the international Talk Like a Pirate Day, or to find pirate pickup lines for Thursday’s lunch, check out talklikeapirate.com.