Key Largo: Chapter Two

Barking was heard from the beach. Sandy walked down the lighthouse stairs and looked out the door. Coming up from alongside the beach was a young boy with sandy blond hair.

“Hi Charlie!” Sandy said, waving to the boy. “Want a lobster?”

“Hey Sandy! Well, my mom doesn’t think it is right to get all this lobster for free. She says up north, it costs a ‘pretty penny’, whatever that is, for lobster.”

“Haha, well, I’ll talk to her about that.” Sandy walked toward the cottage, her furry friends and Charlie following behind. She picked up her candlestick phone and tapped the receiver.

“Hello, Tibby? Could you get me the Laramees please? Thank you.” She looked down at the five year old boy and smiled. “Hello, Clara? This is Sandy. I’ve got Charlie over here. I have some extra lobsters that need a home, could you use them? You know it would pain me if they couldn’t be used. Good! I’ll send some home with Charlie. Alright, you’re welcome. Bye! Your mom said that was just fine.” Sandy said, putting the phone down.

“Oh swell! I found some wild flowers on my way here, I’ll go pick some!” Charlie said, pushing open the screen door and running down the lane with the dogs chasing after him. They passed a young Indian man along the way and Charlie called out hello.

“I’ll be down by the dock!” called Sandy. “Hello Pete, how are you doing?” she waved to the oncoming man.

“Fine! Brought you an order for lobsters from Mrs. Ferguson and a warning.” He said following Sandy out to the dock.

“How many and what kind?” Sandy asked pulling open the lid to the lobster cage at the dock.

“Twenty, and here’s the money for them.” Sandy accepted the money, putting them in her jean pocket. “There’s a storm coming, Granny Sue said so.” George grabbed another net and began pulling in lobsters alongside her.

“Hmmm…how bad of a storm?” Sandy said pulling in another lobster and leaning on a dock post.

“Well, no telling, but seeing those clouds roll in, it’ll probably shake things up a bit. Ok, that’s twenty here, are those for someone else?”

“Yeah, the Laramees. Hey, could you give me a hand tying down the boat?” Sandy said, glancing over at Charlie who was running up to the dock with some flowers in his hand. Pete nodded in agreement. “Those are lovely Charlie. Could you take them into the house? I’ve got your mom’s lobsters here, you can take them back when you’re done. Oh,  and there’s a storm coming, so hurry.” The boy ran into the house, the dogs at his heels, letting the door slam behind him.

Sandy and Pete tied the boat to the dock, loose enough so it wouldn’t hurt the dock, but tight enough so it wouldn’t pull away. Finishing, the two walked back, picking up the lobsters as they went. Charlie ran out and picked up the lobsters and with a thanks was soon running home.

“You want to borrow my cart to get them to the Fergusons? The wind is picking up and the storm will come in quick.” Sandy asked, as they dragged the lobsters up. “Are they having a dinner party?”

“Thanks, I will. I suppose so, she asked me to come get them for her since I was headed out here anyway. Don’t you have to turn the lighthouse light on?” Pete asked with a smirk as the two lifted the lobsters onto the cart. Sandy tossed her hair back and ran off, mounting the lighthouse steps, turning on the light, and ringing the bell. Picking up Remington on the way to the house, she called for the dogs.  Just then, big rain drops began to fall. It looked like a thunderstorm, not big enough to ruin anything, unless the boats didn’t see the shore. Feeding the animals, she made a sandwich and walked over to the lighthouse with the animals at her heels.

A storm meant she would spend the night at the top of the lighthouse. She had a small table and a hammock up there. She ate her food, ringing the bell every thirty minutes. It was a big storm, lots of thunder and lightning, and the wind was moving along.

Around five-thirty the next morning, the storm had subsided and the sky was clear. Sandy rang the all-clear bell and laid down in her hammock to sleep. She was tired.

#KeyLargo #Sandy #Stories