by Bob Kranich
Robert’s Best, (Part 10, Excerpt 95)
This is a new story. Robert’s Best is a sail boat. Grandfather Roberts is going to sail it on the Intercostal waterway from Texas to Key West, Florida. That will be an adventure. Then his grandchildren and their parents will come to Key West on a visit. There will be a lot of funny happenings until the criminals from a previous story get into action. A side note is that a 1935 antique Chris-Craft Model 557 Cabin Cruiser is going to play an important part in the rest of the story. Grandfather Roberts has just arrived in Key West, docked his boat, and met Honest Dave with his 1935 antique restored Christ-Craft Cabin Cruiser.
Roberts’ Best
“Oh, hi, didn’t see you there. About forty days out from Galveston,” I answered.
“Ran the Intercostal, did you?” he asked.
“Yes, sure did! Moving to this island, if they’ll have me. By the way, that’s some boat you have there. Did you restore it yourself?”
“Yep. It’s a nineteen thirty-five, twenty-eight foot Chris-Craft Model 557 Cabin Cruiser.* Got it off a guy near Homestead, Florida. He had it all tore apart. It took me and a couple of friends two years to restore it. I wasn’t in a hurry. Just like you see me now.”
“I like antiques. In fact that’s how I make my money. Honest Dave, the antique man. I refurnish and sell antiques of all kinds. If it’s old, and I like it, I buy it. If I don't want to keep it, I sell it, for a profit, naturally.”
I stepped up onto the dock, Honest Dave did the same.We shook hands.
“Dave Crench, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Dave was of average height and somewhat muscular. His black hair was hanging out under the cap, but with his long sideburns, I could imagine he looked like Elvis.
“I’m Tom Roberts of the twenty-eight foot sail’n sloop Roberts’ Best. I’m proud to meet you Honest Dave.”
How about a tour of your Chris-Craft? It’s not every day I get this opportunity.”
“Tom, I thought you would never ask. Step right in there.”
“Wow! This mahogany wood is pristine. I like the Captain’s quarters. Even a mahogany and brass six-spoke ship’s wheel, and your chrome trim shines,” I said admiringly.
“It wasn’t easy. Lots of sanding and refinishing to the mahogany. Some of the chrome fittings had to be replated.”
“How many will she sleep, Dave?”
“Take a look up front for yourself. Could squeeze in three if you had to. Not to mention the cross-the-transom cushion in the stern.”
“Dave, what about power?”
“Well, Tom, that is what I like,” he said as he pulled back the engine’s cover. “This is a cruiser, not a speedster runabout. The in-line, six cylinder flathead is an original Chris-Craft ninety-five horse power “K” engine. It’s all she needs. It’s easy on fuel but will still move out because it’s got a lot of torque.”
“A great boat, Dave!” I complimented.
“What’s your plans Tom? I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. I know it’s early, but my stomach thinks it’s late! I’ve been here about four days. I know a couple of good eating places only a couple of blocks from here. It’s good, it’s early, because we can eat and get back off the street before the town gets rowdy. What do you say? I’m buying. There is a small restaurant you might like.”
“That was some good food. Thanks, Dave. I’m going to turn in. I had a long and busy morning. See you tomorrow.”
Next morning, Key West docks in the Bight.
I poked my head out of my cabin.
“Hey Tom, so you're an early riser like me. Come on over. Had your coffee yet? I’ve got mine and yours ready to go. How about some eggs?”
“I’m coming right over, Dave. It’s alright if I just call you Dave and leave off the Honest part?”
“Yep, Tom, that will be fine. Don’t want the locals to get any ideas. Have a seat right there, and I’ll rustle up your grub. Where you heading today, Tom?”
“Thanks, Dave. I’ve got to find me a place to live. I have this respiratory and allergy condition. It came from and was aggravated by the Houston pollution and the high humidity.”
“What’s wrong with living on your boat?”
“Well, Dave, a boat’s fine, but I’m used to having a sturdy footing most of the time. A boat is great for recreation and getting away from it all for a few hours. But think, I’ve been the last thirty-eight days on the water. No, I need some land sleep.”
“What you looking for, Tom? I’ve been looking around a lot. I could guide you around some, or at least show you the sights and all that I know.”
“Well, to answer your first question. I need a good ocean breeze, no pollution. The answer to your second question is, yes. Show me what you know about this here island.”
“You’ll need to get your walking shoes on and come back and we’ll start out!”
“Tom, if what you need is a lot of breeze, that means the Atlantic. Also since you like antiques, you need an old house. You’ve come to the right place, this island is full of them, real fine ones, and historic. You need a two-story with two to three porches on the second floor. Let’s hail a touring carriage. Here’s a horse and buggy, coming down the street right now. That way we can see everything at a slow pace. We need to get to the other side of the island. You need covered porches. They call them verandas here. It’s when the porch roof is a continuation of the house roof.”
“Hey, old timer,” Dave said to the carriage driver. “We need a ride. My friend here is looking for an old house. It’s got to be on the Atlantic. He needs porches on the second floor. What’ve you got?”
The carriage driver said, “Wooah Bessie,” as he pulled tightly on the reins. “Well Sar, I know a dead-end street right on the Atlantic. It’s called United. I think I saw one for sale on that street when I was passing by.”
They stepped up into the carriage. “Let’s go, Bessie, ge’up!” the driver said as he lightly snapped the reins.
“Driver, how could you be just pass’n by, when it’s a dead-end street?” Dave asked with a smile in his voice.
“I must confess, Sir, there’s this real pretty Miss living on that street, and you might have guessed it. I’m sure sweet on her!”
“Tell you what, oh by the way, what’s your name, driver?” I asked.
“Franklin, Sir.”
“I’ll tell you what, Franklin, if this is the right house, you will get a tip big enough to take your sweetheart out to dine.”
“Thank you kindly, Sir.”
“Franklin, please take us through old town on the way over, so my friend Tom here can see just how historic and unique Key West is.”
We went west out of the Key West Bight. Three blocks and Franklin said, “Sir, I’m going to take a short three-block around-about here and show your friend here Front Street and Old Mallory Square. It’s the real old seaport front.”
“There now, we’re gon-a-go all the way down Whitehead Street. It’s about eleven blocks to the ocean and our turn. We’ll go right past the oldest house, Hemingway's house, the light house, and a lot of other interesting sights.”
Robert’s Best, (Part 10, Excerpt 95)
This is a new story. Robert’s Best is a sail boat. Grandfather Roberts is going to sail it on the Intercostal waterway from Texas to Key West, Florida. That will be an adventure. Then his grandchildren and their parents will come to Key West on a visit. There will be a lot of funny happenings until the criminals from a previous story get into action. A side note is that a 1935 antique Chris-Craft Model 557 Cabin Cruiser is going to play an important part in the rest of the story. Grandfather Roberts has just arrived in Key West, docked his boat, and met Honest Dave with his 1935 antique restored Christ-Craft Cabin Cruiser.
Roberts’ Best
“Oh, hi, didn’t see you there. About forty days out from Galveston,” I answered.
“Ran the Intercostal, did you?” he asked.
“Yes, sure did! Moving to this island, if they’ll have me. By the way, that’s some boat you have there. Did you restore it yourself?”
“Yep. It’s a nineteen thirty-five, twenty-eight foot Chris-Craft Model 557 Cabin Cruiser.* Got it off a guy near Homestead, Florida. He had it all tore apart. It took me and a couple of friends two years to restore it. I wasn’t in a hurry. Just like you see me now.”
“I like antiques. In fact that’s how I make my money. Honest Dave, the antique man. I refurnish and sell antiques of all kinds. If it’s old, and I like it, I buy it. If I don't want to keep it, I sell it, for a profit, naturally.”
I stepped up onto the dock, Honest Dave did the same.We shook hands.
“Dave Crench, pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Dave was of average height and somewhat muscular. His black hair was hanging out under the cap, but with his long sideburns, I could imagine he looked like Elvis.
“I’m Tom Roberts of the twenty-eight foot sail’n sloop Roberts’ Best. I’m proud to meet you Honest Dave.”
How about a tour of your Chris-Craft? It’s not every day I get this opportunity.”
“Tom, I thought you would never ask. Step right in there.”
“Wow! This mahogany wood is pristine. I like the Captain’s quarters. Even a mahogany and brass six-spoke ship’s wheel, and your chrome trim shines,” I said admiringly.
“It wasn’t easy. Lots of sanding and refinishing to the mahogany. Some of the chrome fittings had to be replated.”
“How many will she sleep, Dave?”
“Take a look up front for yourself. Could squeeze in three if you had to. Not to mention the cross-the-transom cushion in the stern.”
“Dave, what about power?”
“Well, Tom, that is what I like,” he said as he pulled back the engine’s cover. “This is a cruiser, not a speedster runabout. The in-line, six cylinder flathead is an original Chris-Craft ninety-five horse power “K” engine. It’s all she needs. It’s easy on fuel but will still move out because it’s got a lot of torque.”
“A great boat, Dave!” I complimented.
“What’s your plans Tom? I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry. I know it’s early, but my stomach thinks it’s late! I’ve been here about four days. I know a couple of good eating places only a couple of blocks from here. It’s good, it’s early, because we can eat and get back off the street before the town gets rowdy. What do you say? I’m buying. There is a small restaurant you might like.”
“That was some good food. Thanks, Dave. I’m going to turn in. I had a long and busy morning. See you tomorrow.”
Next morning, Key West docks in the Bight.
I poked my head out of my cabin.
“Hey Tom, so you're an early riser like me. Come on over. Had your coffee yet? I’ve got mine and yours ready to go. How about some eggs?”
“I’m coming right over, Dave. It’s alright if I just call you Dave and leave off the Honest part?”
“Yep, Tom, that will be fine. Don’t want the locals to get any ideas. Have a seat right there, and I’ll rustle up your grub. Where you heading today, Tom?”
“Thanks, Dave. I’ve got to find me a place to live. I have this respiratory and allergy condition. It came from and was aggravated by the Houston pollution and the high humidity.”
“What’s wrong with living on your boat?”
“Well, Dave, a boat’s fine, but I’m used to having a sturdy footing most of the time. A boat is great for recreation and getting away from it all for a few hours. But think, I’ve been the last thirty-eight days on the water. No, I need some land sleep.”
“What you looking for, Tom? I’ve been looking around a lot. I could guide you around some, or at least show you the sights and all that I know.”
“Well, to answer your first question. I need a good ocean breeze, no pollution. The answer to your second question is, yes. Show me what you know about this here island.”
“You’ll need to get your walking shoes on and come back and we’ll start out!”
“Tom, if what you need is a lot of breeze, that means the Atlantic. Also since you like antiques, you need an old house. You’ve come to the right place, this island is full of them, real fine ones, and historic. You need a two-story with two to three porches on the second floor. Let’s hail a touring carriage. Here’s a horse and buggy, coming down the street right now. That way we can see everything at a slow pace. We need to get to the other side of the island. You need covered porches. They call them verandas here. It’s when the porch roof is a continuation of the house roof.”
“Hey, old timer,” Dave said to the carriage driver. “We need a ride. My friend here is looking for an old house. It’s got to be on the Atlantic. He needs porches on the second floor. What’ve you got?”
The carriage driver said, “Wooah Bessie,” as he pulled tightly on the reins. “Well Sar, I know a dead-end street right on the Atlantic. It’s called United. I think I saw one for sale on that street when I was passing by.”
They stepped up into the carriage. “Let’s go, Bessie, ge’up!” the driver said as he lightly snapped the reins.
“Driver, how could you be just pass’n by, when it’s a dead-end street?” Dave asked with a smile in his voice.
“I must confess, Sir, there’s this real pretty Miss living on that street, and you might have guessed it. I’m sure sweet on her!”
“Tell you what, oh by the way, what’s your name, driver?” I asked.
“Franklin, Sir.”
“I’ll tell you what, Franklin, if this is the right house, you will get a tip big enough to take your sweetheart out to dine.”
“Thank you kindly, Sir.”
“Franklin, please take us through old town on the way over, so my friend Tom here can see just how historic and unique Key West is.”
We went west out of the Key West Bight. Three blocks and Franklin said, “Sir, I’m going to take a short three-block around-about here and show your friend here Front Street and Old Mallory Square. It’s the real old seaport front.”
“There now, we’re gon-a-go all the way down Whitehead Street. It’s about eleven blocks to the ocean and our turn. We’ll go right past the oldest house, Hemingway's house, the light house, and a lot of other interesting sights.”
From the Author:
My second full-length book , Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers is composed of 336 pages. There are 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages. It is fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors I made roaming around Key West after I finished my 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West. (See book or Don Browne’s SouthWest Florida Online News records, A Walk Across Florida.) As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys, and the Caribbean. These stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969. bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich
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