The Boat

One day, while reading my favorite book on the beach, I notice a boat slowly drifting to shore. It eventually lands near my spot. Glancing up, I remove my sunglasses for a better look.

A person, draped in pirate clothes, yells to me from the boat, “I have a treasure map, and need help. Are ye in?"

I call back, "Let me see the map."

He raises a raggedy piece of paper that has been rolled into a tube. I can see lines and patches, and what appears to be dotted pathways drawn on it. It looks as if it really is a map.

"Come closer," I call to him, trembling with excitement. I love a good adventure. "I can't quite see it. Are you sure it's a treasure map?"

"Quite sure," he replies, as he struggles to his feet.

He climbs out of the boat, which is a supreme effort, considering that he actually IS a pirate, complete with a peg leg. I assume this is the reason he is seeking help, and willing to share his bounty. Treasure hunting would be hard work with two good legs, and just about impossible with only one.

He bends back into the boat, rummages around, and stands back up. Now he holds a cutlass gripped in one hand, the map in the other. I feel a bit nervous at this point. Hopefully the cutlass is to ward off possible marauders we encounter along the way.

I pull myself up from my beach chair, laying my book on the seat that recently held my bottom. Taking a quick sip of my appletini, I don my beachy t-shirt, dusting off the sand gathered on it. I wait, trying to be patient, as he struggles across the sand.

Finally giving in to my restless nature, I walk, meeting him for his last few steps. He is completely decked out in pirate attire, right down to the patch on his eye, a bandana-covered head, and short black pants. He is obviously going commando as well. Sizing him up, I wonder how fast he will be able to move with that peg leg.

Taking the map from him and unrolling it, I give it the once-over. I say to him, "Wow, I didn't believe you at first, but this does look like a real treasure map."

"Told ye so," he replies. "We find the treasure, we will be rich beyond what a person could dream."

"Well, let's get started, before we lose any more daylight," I respond. With another quick glance at the map, I point south and blurt, "looks like we need to head in that direction."

He begins to walk south as I suggested, calling over his shoulder, "Thou art correct, the sun won't be long in settin', but I think you had the map upside down, Missy. Maybe we should be headin' in the other direction."

"Chucklehead," I think to myself. Map clutched tightly in my fist, I scurry off to the north.