Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers
by Bob Kranich
Robert’s Best, (Part 16, Excerpt 101)
This is a new story. Robert’s Best is a sail boat. Grandfather Roberts has sailed it on the Intercostal waterway from Texas to Key West, Florida. His grandchildren and their parents have 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 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 has moved into his new house on the Atlantic and we will get introduced to the A. M. Adams Turtle Schooner soon. The criminals are starting to get involved.
“Ok, everyone, put on your life vests,” I instructed.
“Yah, everyone. You too, Suzie!” Harold Junior put in.
“I know. Smart guy!” She answered.
“Now, we’ll motor around at first. I want to go out of the Bight, and then we’ll head south and look at the Navy Base to see what we can see!” I said. “Keep your eyes on the land there everyone. What do you see?”
“There it is!” Harold Junior screamed, “It’s Mother Ship, a tender. Look at the one, two, three submarines.”
“Ok, smart guy, we know you can count,” Suzie said.
“Now, we’re going to go around the southwest corner of the island. You can see the old Civil War red brick fort there. I pointed, “It’s called Fort Zachary Taylor.”
“Are there civil war soldiers in it now? Can we go see it?” Harold Junior asked.
“Now it’s abandoned. But it’s a National Park and Monument. We may go and see it next week, Harold Junior. You and me.”
“Look, I see the Southern most house!”
“Now, Harold Junior, hold on to those rails. Don’t jump around,” Harold Senior warned.
“We’re in the Hawk Channel now. Let’s put up the sails. Harold Junior and Senior, up the sails, man the sail cranks.”
“Like this, Daddy,” Harold Junior proudly showed everyone, since he had learned how to raise the sails at Lake Houston.
Now we’ll just turn around and sail back to where we came from.” I cautioned. “Watch the boom as it comes around.”
We sailed back, dropped the sails, and motored into the harbor. Franklin and Bessie were there waiting. The two guys were gone.
The next day, mid-morning:
“Dad, We’re going to drive up to Miami, drop off the rental station wagon at the airport, and fly back. It’s non-stop on a Turbo-prop. We’ll call when we get in,” Harold Senior informed everyone.
“What’s a Turbo-prop?” Harold Junior asked.
“I was going to ask the same question,” I said.
I guess it’s a new type of aircraft engine,” Harold Senior answered, “Supposed to be pretty fast.”
“You-all have a safe trip,” I said, as they all hugged, that is all except Suzie and Harold Junior.
“Now, Harold Junior, mind your Grandfather, and I love you,” Mary said as she hugged him.
“Yes, Mom,” he answered.
They all got in the vehicle, waved and drove away. We watched as they turn left onto Whitehead Street, go to Truman Ave, turn right, heading towards Roosevelt Boulevard and straight out to U. S. One.
“Junior, let’s go in, clean up a bit, do some wash, eat, and we’ll make some plans.”
“Grandfather, couldn’t we eat and make plans, instead of cleaning?”
“I wish we could, Junior, but we don’t have a housekeeper. We are the cleaners.”
Harold Junior was playing out on the porch, in the back. “Grandfather, you need a porch swing like you have back at the cottage.”
“Sounds like a good idea, Harold Junior. Tell you what, we need two, one in the front and one in the back here. We’ll order them today, and see if they can put them in tomorrow. We’ll have them put on the ground floor. I don’t want you launching off into space!”
“It’s going to be fun, Grandfather.”
“Give me a few minutes, Harold. I’m going to be on the phone.”
Harold Junior didn’t answer. He was playing around in the backyard, digging in the sand, and rolling a green husked coconut around.
“Dave Crench speaking, Antiques my specialty.”
“Dave, that you? This is Tom, Tom Roberts.”
“Oh hi, Tom. Excuse me, but I always have to put in my advertising specialty. How you doing?”
“My grandson is here. The family left this morning.”
“You want to kick around some, Tom?” Dave asked. “I did some real neat work on my Chris-Craft. Wait till you see it! Tell you what, I got a few business deals to close. I’ll leave tomorrow afternoon and get there the day after, afternoon late. Don’t want to hurry my old antique. See you at the Bight. Oh, by–the–way, what’s your phone number? I’ll write it down.”
“295-8763,” I answered. “Give me a call and your time of arrival and we’ll meet you with Franklin’s carriage.”
“Who was that, Grandfather Roberts?”
“A guy named Dave. He’s coming down in his Chris-Craft Cruiser day after tomorrow, in the afternoon.”
“What’s a Chris-Craft Cruiser, Grandfather?”
“Instead of trying to describe it, I’ll show it to you when he gets here. I’ll want to tell you, it’s a cool looking boat. Now, I’m going to call the hardware store to see about the porch swings.”
I dialed the Island Hardware. There was a buzz, a click, and the line seemed to go dead. I was just about to hang up and try again when, I heard, “You called the Island Hardware?”
“Why, yes. Is this it?”
“What can we do for you?”
“I need a couple of porch swings. I would like them delivered and installed tomorrow morning, if possible.”
“Let me check, Sir.” It took a long time, but finally the person came back on. “Sorry sir, had to check stock. Tomorrow in the morning. Two porch swings installed. Your name and address sir?
“Tom Roberts, seven United Street, Atlantic side. Dead end street, yellow with white trim. 295-8763.”
“Thank you, Sir. Your installer will be Frank. About ten am.”
I noticed a strange click as he hung up.
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 OnlineNews 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
When: Friday, September 13, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: 2830 Winkler Avenue, Suite 112, Fort Myers, FL 33916