Abaco Gold

by Patrick Mansell

  Max and Gaffer moved back to Bimini Twist. There was hand shaking and high fiving all around for an important job well done. Skeeter spoke up, “Listen everyone, I think this calls for a celebration. My place is only three miles from here. We need to go and celebrate our victory.”

  Five

  Great Guana Cay

  Max had never visited Great Guana Cay, mostly because this was the home of Skeeter Pincus. He kept a distance between himself and Skeeter and all the other gill netters. Today Skeeter had been a hero. He had unselfishly risked his equipment and his livelihood to perform an act of great ecological importance. This was a day to set aside differences and celebrate their success.

  The Pincus home sat on a rise overlooking a small turning basin in which the fleet of four rescue boats were moored. From the private dockage area on Great Guana, Max walked with Skeeter up the sandy pathway, lined by coconut and sea grape trees and bordered by hundreds of pink conch shells, toward the simple, weather worn-cottage. As they approached, Susan Pincus came to the door. Susan had been married to Skeeter for a dozen years but looked no older than late teens. She stood tall, perhaps five ten, with flowing chestnut hair, green eyes and a delightful bright smiling face showing perfect white teeth and the healthy deep tan of a southern college girl just back from a Daytona spring break. Hiding behind Susan was their five year old daughter, Sissy, and nine year old son Matthew. While Sissy favored her father with sun bleached blond hair, dark, intelligent eyes and a hint of freckles on her pug nose, Matthew must have come from somewhere else up the genetic line. His light brown hair was in tight curls, short atop his head and his pale blue eyes were so light as to appear weak and sensitive.

  Susan’s puzzled look caused Skeeter to react immediately. “Hi, Sugar. This is Max Carson. I think you’ve heard me talk about him. Relax a little and we’ll tell you all about it. It’s been a hell of a day.”

  “I’ve been listening on the VHF all afternoon. I guess a lot of other people have too. The phone has been ringing off the hook. The people all over the Abaco Islands have been listening in on you too. They are already calling it Operation Whale Tail. I think you’re going to be hearing from the news media before too long. Are those people down at the boats going to join us?”

  P.J. and Gaffer were helping the other rescuers to secure the boats, tying off each other and fixing fenders between them. Dave and Kate were about to leave the boats and head toward the house. Jason and Mark had taken off in Starling to tow Ecstacy to rejoin the group. P.J. and Gaffer were just about finished with the tying off process and would soon be joining the others.

  “We’ve got a small crowd to feed here,” said Skeet. “Can we handle that?”

  “We have beer, soft drinks and juice for days,” said Susan. “There’s plenty to eat.”

  Max offered, “We caught some beautiful yellow tails this morning. They’re already fileted and on ice on the boat. Let’s make this a real celebration. We have a lot to be thankful for.” Then to young Matthew he said, “Come meet my sons. They’re a little older than you but you’ll like them. Gaffer is a real fisherman and P.J. is a pro at the video games.”

  “Dad, can I go?” Matthew asked with deep enthusiasm. “I want to meet P.J. and Gaffer.”

  Skeet nodded. “They’re right there on the path. Go ahead and tell them what’s going on. Max, would you like to call your wife?”

  “Let me get this started and I’ll be right back to call her.” Max escorted Matthew down the path to where P.J. and Gaffer were heading their way. “Hold up guys. I want you to meet Skeet’s son, Matthew.” Then to Matthew he said, “This is Gaffer and this is P.J.”

  Matthew took an immediate interest in P.J., “I heard you’re a video game wizard. Is that right?”

  “No wizard, but pretty good,” bragged P.J.

  “Then come with me,” he said as he led P.J. back up the trail.

  “Gaff,” said Max, “go back to the boat and get those tails and the dolphin filet. We’re having them for dinner.”

  “Excellent,” said Gaffer, as he headed back down the trail. Max returned to the house and connected with the marina right away. Lisa was waiting for his call. “Honey, the whales are safe. It took about four hours to run them back but it was a perfectly successful operation. Everyone is safe, none of the animals were hurt and the last time I saw them they were happily headed out to sea.”

  “I heard all about it,” said Lisa. “We’ve been following it on the radio. The people all over the island are celebrating. It’s going to be on the news. The marina called it in and Channel Seven in Miami is going to carry it.”

  “Oh brother,” said Max. “Anyhow, what I wanted to tell you is that we’re going to do some celebrating on our own. We’re going to stay here for awhile. How about hitching a ride up and joining us. I don’t know when we’ll be back.”

  “Sounds like fun. There’s an hour of daylight left. I’ll just take Tin Lady. It’s tied up just outside. Do you think that will be OK?”

  “Of course it will. I’ll tell Dave you’re taking him up on his offer to borrow his skiff. He won’t mind. He told me to use it anytime I want. Do you know how to get here?”

  “Pretty much and I have a chart. I’ll leave now and be there in thirty minutes. Do you need me to bring anything?”

  “Just yourself,” said Max. “I’ll see you in a little while.”

  After hanging up, Max walked down to the dock area and accompanied Gaffer back to the house. He was thankful they had a good catch earlier as there would be hungry mouths to feed. Inside the Pincus house Matthew was showing P.J. his video setup. Susan was scurrying around the kitchen putting together a party while Dave, Skeet and Kate were snapping pop tops on their first frosty brews. P.J. thought he must surely be better than of Matthew in the video game department but soon learned that the boy could present a serious challenge.

  Max waited impatiently for Lisa to arrive. An hour after the phone call he headed back down the narrow path to the turning basin. By the time he reached the dock, Lisa was idling in. She tied a line from the bow of Tin Lady to the stern of Bimini Twist. “It seems very strange to be entertained by the Pincus family,” she said. “After all the years of you being vocal about the gill-netters this just feels very odd. What should I expect when I get up there?”

  “It’s been a day like none other I can ever remember. What we did today was important. Skeet put it all on the line for those whales. We have always judged him by what he does for a living, without really knowing him as a person. He was changed by what happened today. We should play this thing through at least for now. Then we’ll see what happens. Also, his wife is lovely and his kids are beautiful.”

  “Wow, Max. I rarely hear you talk like this. What got into you?”

  “It was just an amazing day. Come on. We’ll go up to the house and join the party. You’ll see what I mean.”

  When they reached the house everyone was busy. Kate was helping Susan in the kitchen and Skeet was showing Dave the latest in deep dropping equipment while P.J. struggled to keep ahead of Matthew in a video football game. Max introduced Lisa to Susan and Skeeter. Lisa was taken with Susan’s fine manners and friendly way. Skeeter was also much more intelligent and friendly than she expected.

  The celebration went on and on. High spirits and friendly noise filled the house, but as midnight rolled around the party began winding down. The recycle bin was full of beer cans and coke bottles. Matthew and Sissy were asleep in their beds and Gaffer was looking for a quiet corner in which to sack out. Susan felt a responsibility to make everyone comfortable for the night.

  “It’s way too late and dark to be heading back to Marsh Harbour. Let’s make room for everybody to bunk down for the night. We’ll figure it out.”

  “I’ve already got it figured out,” said Dave. “My boat sleeps six very comfortably. That pretty much solves that problem. Now the only question is who wants to party and who wants to sleep. The party’s on Fantasea.” With that he w
alked out the door followed by Mark, Kate, Jason, P.J. and Gaffer.

  Max and Lisa stood uncomfortably with Susan and Skeeter. Susan broke the awkward silence. “You’re in luck. That couch makes out into the most comfortable queen size bed you’ve ever seen. I can make it up in a jiffy.”

  Max and Skeeter sat alone at the kitchen table. Now in this quiet room with no distractions Skeeter wanted to say a few things to Max and he wanted his opinion.

  Haltingly Skeeter began speaking. “Max, about all those years we’ve been so miserable about each other…”

  “No, Skeet,” said Max. “If we’re going to do this you have to hear me too. I said a lot of things about you and I never really knew what you were like. I’ve badly maligned you even behind your back.”

  “And you think I’ve never bad-mouthed you?” Both men smiled a knowing smile. It was out in the open, the barriers were down.

  “OK,” said Skeet. “So we worked each other over a little. That’s in the past. Now that we know each other better I’m guessing that will change. But that’s not what I want to discuss now. You saw it out there during the operation. You saw what I saw. When that baby whale nearly drowned in my net, it may have changed my life. I have responsibilities. I have mouths to feed. I have debts like everyone else. But the only livelihood I know is slipping away. I won’t be able to set my nets without wondering what damage I’ll be doing. This means there’s going to be a change in my life and I don’t even know where to start.”

  “I respect what you’re saying,” said Max. “It’s easy for me to say you’ve got some heavy decisions to consider. But that doesn’t really help. Sometimes only you can carry the load. For sure talk to Susan about it. She would want to share that burden with you. It affects her life and the future of the entire family. It won’t be easy, but a good wife can be a huge help. Susan is a good woman and she’ll support whatever decision you make. You can look at it this way too, fishing for sport can be fun and there is an element of calculated risk. But fishing commercially is one of the most dangerous occupations there is. I’m sure Susan and the kids would like to see you get into something safer.”

  “Yeah, we talk about it sometimes. I’m probably only good for a few more years anyhow. I’m thirty five now and most of the netters are out of it by their early forties.”

  “That begins to make it a little easier. You’re highly motivated right now,” said Max. “The sooner you face the inevitable, the easier it will be in the long run.”

  “But hell in the short run, right Max?”

  “Probably. But don’t forget, bring Susan into it. It’ll be good for the whole family. I’d help you if I knew how. Can you think of a way I might help?”

  “No. That’s not what I’m looking for. It’s just that you’ve been around and you’ve got lots of experience. I respect your opinion and I know you know what I’m going through. You saw the whale. You know I can’t go back.”

  “I know,” said Max, “and if I can think of something to replace this job, I’ll let you know right away. I’ll ask around a little for you, too. I’m sure there are lots of employers out there looking for somebody like you. You’ll find a job.”

  “That’s very tough, Max. I’ve worked for myself every day of my life since I left the Navy. I’m no good to work for somebody else. I’m too spoiled being my own boss.”

  “It’s a good quality that you are a motivated self-starter. That will be to your advantage. I have always found that if you have a situation where the boss is fair, honest and a strong leader, it’s easy to work for a person like that. But you might also have to suck it in a little for a while, until the right situation comes up.”

  “That’ll definitely be the hardest part, sucking it in until a situation like that comes along. But, if it’s for my family, I’ll do whatever I have to.”

  “Of course you will,” said Max. “Why don’t you sleep on it. Discuss it with Susan. It’ll be clearer in the morning. Meanwhile I’ve got to get some sleep before I fall over.”

  “Me too,” said Skeet. “I’m exhausted and my brain is fried. I’ll see you in the morning. Some day, huh Max.”

  “Completely amazing!” The men shook hands and each retired to bed for the night.

  Morning brought a surprising sight to the party aboard Fantasea. As they began to rise and make their way out onto the open deck they were greeted by two dozen boats of various makes all with the same objective. News reporters, photographers, video techs, overhead booms and satellite dishes filled their view. The whale rescue had become a media event. Where did these people come from and how did they get here so fast?

  Dave lumbered onto the deck, took a look at the crowd, shook his head and returned to the salon. He nudged Gaffer awake and told him to go get Max and Skeeter. Perhaps the cameras would stop rolling long enough to allow Gaffer to run up the path to the Pincus house. The rest of the Fantasea party stayed below and out of the range of the circus.

  Twenty minutes later Max and Skeeter emerged from the house and made their way toward the basin. There was only one way to get the news people to leave and that was to give them what they wanted. Max insisted that Skeet do the talking. Amid a barrage of flash bulbs and in the face of whirring videos and overhead booms, Skeeter described the activities of the day before. Max stood back leaving center stage to Skeet. If Skeet was going to get out of the gill-netting business and look for a new line of work, a little worldwide exposure couldn’t hurt.

  The press conference on the Pincus dock lasted for over an hour. The best questions were way behind them and now the media was just being nosey and pesky. Max decided to put an end to it. He called out, “There’s no more news here. The interview is over. Would the representative from National Geographic please join us on the hill. Everybody else, thank you.”

  There was a considerable disappointment around the press corps. Max guessed they were grumbling because they would soon have to gather up their expense accounts and leave these idyllic islands for the reality of their press rooms in Washington, Cleveland, Miami and Houston. Too bad, but the show on Great Guana Cay was over.

  “How did I get picked out of all these reporters?” Godfrey Frey was a very rugged looking photo journalist from the National Geographic Society. An Afro American educated at Spencer Prep and Georgetown University, Godfrey had earned a Ph.D. in communications after years of grueling study. One trip to an ecologically sensitive area of the Exuma Islands in the Southern Bahamas and he was hopelessly hooked on the vulnerability of nature. His tall stature, flair for safari style and his good looks, always got him noticed.

  “Because you have the best camera equipment.” Skeeter laughed at Max’ tongue-in-cheek humor. Godfrey didn’t get it. “Really though,” said Max, “we can give you the inside scoop on the whale story. It’s a great story. My son has some pictures. They’re the only ones. I’m sure he’d be glad to share them with you.”

  “Now you’ve got my attention. I can develop the pictures right here on Abaco and possibly work with them. Again, what do you want from me?”

  “Two things. First, the whale story has merit of its own and deserves your attention. The whole mystery of whale beachings should be explored and reported. It calls attention to the plight of endangered animals and it might even lead to research that saves more lives. I’m serious, if you could have seen those whales you would have felt that way about it. Ask Skeet.”

  “I was profoundly affected by what happened here yesterday,” said Skeeter. “Those perfect, innocent animals were docile, beautiful and wild. I think the research is important.”

  “I can do something with this if those pictures are any good,” said Godfrey. “We’ve done stories like this before, but you can’t get enough good rescue adventures. Let me take a look at the film and I’ll let you know. What’s the other thing you wanted from me?”

  “Give us the right answer on the whales and I’ll let you in on another possible story. This one will be as good as the whales. Trust me,�
� said Max.

  “What’s that?” asked Skeeter.

  “I think I might have something going on, but I’m not certain. If I do, I’ll let you know. In the meantime there’s nothing to tell.”

  Susan called from the doorway for the men to return to the house. Breakfast was ready. Come and get it.

  The party from Fantasea made its sleepy way up to the house. Emergency coffees all around, orange juice, bacon, eggs, pancakes. The party atmosphere continued for another hour, then Jason, Mark and Kate had to get back to Marsh Harbour, Mark under tow. Dave was heading back out to sea for some offshore trolling. Godfrey went along hoping to bring luck. Max and Gaffer wanted to go back to the yellow tail grounds to replenish the fish box. Lisa and P.J. stayed at Great Guana to avoid the brief fishing trip. Lisa helped Susan straighten up while P.J. took another challenge from Matthew on the video speedway. Skeeter spent time working on his torn net and other fishing gear around the boat. The activities of the day before had taken their toll on his equipment.

  Three hours later Bimini Twist returned to the turning basin. The fish box was reasonably full, Max and Gaffer were sun baked and covered in salt. They tied up to Skeeter’s dock and headed up the path. Lisa met them at the door.

  “I’m ready to go back if you are,” said Lisa. “I’ve been wearing these clothes since yesterday and I need a long hot shower.” She looked Max up and down and added, “You could use one, too.”

  Max chuckled. He was ready too. They spent another fifteen minutes saying good bye and waiting for P.J. and Matthew to finish one last game. The Pincus family stood on their dock waving to the Carsons as they exited the turning basin in Bimini Twist towing Tin Lady behind.