by Bob Kranich
Robert’s Best, (Part 11, Excerpt 96)
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 arrived in Key West. He has meet Honest Dave and had a tour of his Chris-Craft. Both He and Dave are looking around Key West for a house for Grandfather Roberts. They have just hired a carriage and driver to both look around, and see the sights.
Roberts’ Best
“You’re doing great, Franklin, keep it up,” Dave encouraged.
“Well, Sirs, here’s our turn. It’s on the left in the middle of the block.”
“Feel that breeze, Tom,” Dave said.
We pulled up in the front of a beautiful old Key West Bahamian style house.
“Look, Tom, it’s got your porches, I mean verandas.” Dave noted.
“It’s too good to be true! Thank you, Dave and Franklin. Let’s see if anyone’s home. Franklin, rest awhile and stay with us till we find out anything. I’ll pay you for your time.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be right here.”
Dave and I stepped down from the carriage.
Dave said, “Tom, I don’t know if you know anything about this architecture, but these Key West old homes are all unique. In fact unique to Key West. This here beautiful little two-story baby is a three-bay Classic Revival. But they have added porches. See the separate roofs over the porches”
We walked up to and opened the picket fence gate, then went up the walk and the three stairs to the porch. The house was a light airy yellow trimmed in white, with some gingerbread.* There was a bell button next to the door. I pushed it.
Ding...Dong!
We could hear someone coming. The main door opened.
“Oh, hi! May I help you?”
“Yes Ma’m, we saw the For Sale sign, and I’m interested.”
“Well, sirs, if you would have a seat on the porch there, I’ll call the realtor. Be right back.”
She came back out with a tray, glasses, a pitcher of lemonade, and some homemade cookies. “She’ll be here shortly. They're only a few blocks away. I see your driver out there, would you like to take him some lemonade and cookies?”
Dave interjected, “Let me do it, Tom. That way you two can talk about the house.”
He went out to Franklin carrying a glass of lemonade and a couple of cookies in a napkin.
The lady said, “Oh goodness me! I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Kelly Albright. My husband is Naval Air and he’s being reassigned.”
“So nice to meet you, Ma'am. I’m Tom Roberts. Just got in from thirty-eight days sailing the Gulf Intercostal Waterway, from Galveston, Texas.”
“My, so adventurous. Oh, here comes the realtor now.”
A new ‘62 Caddy pulled up, and a young lady got out. She and Dave were talking as they came up.
Dave said, “Tom, I’d like for you to meet Ms. Betty Thomas. She is probably the most knowledgeable and pretty realtor on this here island!”
He looked at Mrs. Albright. “Ma'am I loved your cookies and lemonade, but I didn’t get your name. I’m Dave Crench. Purveyor of fine antiques, out of Homestead, Florida. This good man and I have our boats docked down at the Key West Bight.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Mister, Crench, I’m Kelly Albright.”
The realtor, Betty Thomas, said, “Gentlemen, would you like to go in and look around?”
On the second floor, Betty Thomas said, “This house is unusual because of the porches all the way around. You will get both the view and the breeze off the Atlantic from this back porch. Not to mention, you don’t have beach access, but nothing will be built between you and the Atlantic. When the Navy donates it to the National Park Service, it should be a public park along with Fort Jefferson.”
“Ma'am, if it is reasonable enough, I’m interested,” I said.
“That check is a draw on the Bank of Houston, Texas. It will be as good as gold!”
Betty Thomas replied, “Tom, give me two days to verify it, get all the paperwork ready, and we should be able to close in a week.” She then looked at the owner, “Is that suitable, Kelly?”
“Why yes, Betty. I’m almost finished packing and will notify the movers just as soon as you let me know.”
“Ms. Albright, any furnishings you wish to part with, just let me know, and I’ll purchase them,” I informed her.
The realtor, Betty Albright said, “We’ll be in touch, gentlemen. It’s been very nice.”
Dave and I walked back out to Franklin, Bessie, and the carriage.
“Well, Franklin, you're taking your sweetie out to eat,” I said, as I handed Franklin a very sizable tip.
“Thank you very kindly, Sir, Mister Tom.”
“Really, I’m so thankful to you, Franklin. Well, Dave, what’s next?”
“Do you have more time, Franklin?” Dave asked.
“Yes, Sir!”
“We need the full Old Town tour,” Dave said with a flourish.
“Yes, Sirs! Hang on. Here we go.”
“Franklin, we need some lunch,” Dave said. “It made me real hungry watching Tom spend his money.”
“There is a restaurant only a couple of blocks from here. Real good Italian food.”
“Good. Let’s take out, and then you can carry on with the tour. By the way, we’re buying, Franklin.”
“Thank you, Sirs.”
We did the historic high spots, just stopping briefly at each one: Southernmost Point, lighthouse, Hemingway House, Oldest House, Aquarium, The Maine Memorial, and finishing up at the Turtle Crawls in the Key West Bight, right next to their boats.
“Franklin, it’s been a busy, pleasurable, and successful day. We want to thank you.”
“Sirs, I want to thank you! If you ever need me, you will see me and old Bessie here riding around the city. Also here’s my card with my phone.”
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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