Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers
by Bob Kranich
Robert’s Best, (Part 14, Excerpt 99) 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 met Honest Dave and had a tour of his Chris-Craft. Honest Dave is going back to Homestead to check on his businesses. He will come back. Grandfather Roberts is moving in his new house on the Atlantic and we will get introduced to the A. M. Adams Turtle Schooner soon.
Roberts’ Best
“Not a million! You’re crazy!” Suzie exclaimed.
“There were too! A million,” Harold Junior shot back. “Right Dad?”
“No, there weren’t!” Suzie said, stamping her foot.
“Now children, settle down,” Mary injected.
“Grandfather Roberts, when are we going fishing? I want to catch a shark or a sailfish. I read about them in the encyclopedia.”
“Now, Harold Junior, take it easy,” I said. “First, we have to get you all settled. Let’s take these suitcases upstairs. Harold and Mary, that front bedroom right there. Suzie, you have your very own room across the hall. The bathroom is second door in the hall right there. Harold Junior, back here with me. You get your very own couch here in my office. You see, I’m right there in that bedroom.”
“What a nice home, Dad,” Mary complimented. “I just love the plants, flowers, and the Atlantic view! Those porches are exquisite.”
“Well, my great family, since you have driven so long, tonight you-all just rest. I’m cooking and serving. Then tomorrow, we’re going to tour the island. I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“Tell us, Grandfather!” Harold Junior and Suzie both begged.
“It is a surprise. You’ll both see tomorrow.”
“Grandfather! Grandfather Roberts! There’s a horse and buggy parked in front of the house!” Harold exclaimed.
“I know, it’s for us. That’s Franklin and his good old horse, Bessie. Don’t forget your cameras and snacks, let’s get loaded. They’re going to take us touring the town of Key West. We’re going to see the sights.”
“Franklin, nice to see you and Bessie. You are right on time, Thank you. This is my family. Let me introduce my son Harold, and wife Mary. This is my granddaughter, Suzie and grandson, Harold Junior.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintances. Let me help you in.”
“Won’t your horse run when you drop the ropes?” Harold Junior asked.
“No she won’t, young fella, I bet’cha. She is trained. In fact, she is the best behaved horse on this whole island!”
“Now you four sits in the back there, and this young man is going to help me drive old Bessie.”
“Look at me Mommy, Daddy, I’m way up here!”
“You’re not so smart. Don’t fall off.” Suzie said in reply.
“Hold on folks, off’n we go,” Franklin said.
I put in, “You know your way around, Franklin. We’re with you.”
Franklin took the route he had originally toured Dave and me on.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this here is the farthest south you can go in the good old U S of A. It’s called the Southern Most Point. Now that house there, the pretty yellow one with the red roof and tower, it’s the southern-most house. Now we’re going up towards town to the…”
“Light house!” Harold Junior piped in. “I see it!”
“Why, young fella, you will make a good tour guide,” Franklin interjected.
“Can we go to the top, Grandfather?” Harold Junior asked.
“If your father says it’s ok and us old folks can make it, I think it will be ok.”
Franklin pulled up and stopped, “Whoa, Bessie.”
“Wait for us, Franklin. We’ll be down in a bit.”
It was a total of eighty-eight steps up to the top of the lighthouse and the walk-around, but the view of the entire island was worth every bit of the climb. We all came down, we older ones looking a bit tired.
“Now across the street is the Hemingway house,” Franklin said.
Before he could go on, Suzie added, “He was a famous author. He wrote a lot of books. My teacher talked about him.”
Harold Junior interjected, “He’s not so great. Grandfather is writing a book too!”
“Now, Harold, I won’t ever be as famous as Mister Ernest Hemingway," I admitted.
“Now, here on the right is the main entrance to the U. S. Navy Base,” Franklin went on.
“Grandfather Roberts, can we stop and see the ships?” Harold asked.
“Harold, we can’t just go on in. See the two sailors with guns guarding there? You have to have Navy business for them to let you in,” I explained.
“Ok, I would like to see the ships. What kind do they have?”
“There are lots of submarines and a big ship they call the Mother Ship. It is a tender and it takes care of, and repairs the smaller submarine ships. Tell you what, when we get by the water, we’ll look for Navy ships, I promise."
“Coming up on the right is the oldest house in Key West. It was built in1823.” Franklin pointed to it, and stopped in front.
“It sure is old. It needs some paint, huh, Dad?” Harold observed.
“Well, son, they don’t paint it because then it would look new,” Harold Senior explained.
“Mister Roberts, you may want to stop for lunch because next will be the aquarium,” Franklin cautioned.
“Good idea, take us to a place to eat, Franklin.”
“Yes, sir, how about right over there?”
“I hope they have hamburgers and fries, and I need a Coke!” Harold Junior exclaimed, “Look, they have tables outside on the sidewalk. Can we go there?”
They all said ok, except Suzie, naturally. “This doesn’t look very good! Don’t they have any of the fast food places like we have back home?”
“Now, Honey,” Mary said. “This is Key West and every eating establishment is a mom and pop, or one-owner situation. That’s the uniqueness of it. We’re going to eat here, on the tables, on the sidewalk. I think it’s quaint. You’ll like it.”
The waiter came out with many flourishes and ta-da’s and took their order. I could see Franklin had taken the carriage and Bessie down the street so they would not interfere with the sidewalk café and people wouldn't bother him for a ride.
I pulled the waiter aside and said, “If there’s anyone that can run a coke, hamburger, and fries down to Franklin and Bessie there, I’ve got a big tip for them.”
“I’ll take care of it, Sir. One of the bus boys can do it,” he said with a grin.
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
