Library no. 1305
The Twilight Zone
The Heirloom
Myths of the
Inner Sanctum
Stories by the ®Wicked Mind's Eye of
Captain don/
THE HEIRLOOM
Copyrighted by the
® Wicked Mind's Eye
of Captain Don
Bonaire na.
1 9 8 3
wds 976
The Old Diver moved his whiskey glass across the top of the bar to order another fill. Karel's Bar was a family sort of resort bar, built on a small jetty in the harbor, and served food as well as hard liquor. A young couple and their small daughter sat catty-cornered across from the Old Diver who sipped steadily from his whiskey glass.
It was shortly before noon, and the family was taking a refreshment after a disastrous glass bottom boat trip over the reefs.
Already strained, the Father was further annoyed by the Old Diver who appeared to be guzzling his drinks. While they had been touring on the glass bottom boat, for whatever reason that only a child could know, his daughter foolishly had been holding the doll, a grandmother's heirloom, over the side of the boat when it slipped from her hand.
Partly porcelain, the doll was heavy and sank quickly. The boat captain had stopped the craft when the child screamed, and all eyes had gone to the glass viewing window in the bottom of the boat. The horrified child watched her lifelong friend slowly turn and spin, down and down, into the dark chasm below. She let out another howl, and rivers of tears flowed, but to no avail. Her friend was gone forever.
Trying to console his daughter, the father had offered, "I'll pay a diver to get your Majool back." But the boat Captain denied this possibility. "I'm sorry, sir, but that little lady has sunk into the deepest crevice along this coast. We call it the devil's shelf. It's a full four hundred feet deep down there. There's not a diver born who would or could make that dive. I'm sorry."
An hour later, the little girl's tears continued to flow. Johan, the bar's owner, having twin daughters himself, understood better than anyone else and vainly attempted to console the unhappy child. Quietly Johan told the Old Diver, who had just begun another refill, "This little girl has just lost her best friend," and told him the rest of the sad story.
Having suspected something like this, the Old Diver smiled at the distraught child and nodded his gray head in sympathy. "I have lost good friends and know the pain very well." Then he waved a bejeweled hand as if chasing bugs, and a playing card appeared between his fingers. Another sweep, and a coin appeared. Again, and all was gone.
"Awww," he said holding out both empty hands for close inspection. Every finger wore a shark's tooth imbedded in a gold ring. Now he had their total attention as he placed one thumb into the open palm of the other hand and vigorously kneaded the flesh. Then he removed his thumb and held out the clenched fist to the little girl. No one breathed while he slowly opened his fingers like a flower opening into bloom. In the center of his palm lay a brilliant gold doubloon, a piece of eight, obviously very old and very valuable. "Nothing can ever replace an old friend, but perhaps this can be a new friend for you," and he placed it in her hand.
Johan, who had seen much, blinked and looked up at the Old Diver. "Art, are you sure?" Smiling, the diver replied, "It has greater value to her than to me." He signaled for a refill, signed his bar bill and left without another word, only a smile for the little girl.
The mother whispered, "Who is that man?" Johan chuckled, "Him? That's Captain Art Lamour,an island character. Everybody knows him and his boat anchored out there." Johan pointed to a tri-hull catamaran, with 'Bon Bini 7' painted on its bow.
He's Art Lamour, a magician extraordinary, hotel showman and an outstanding trainer of stage animals. He materialized on Aruba in the mid-sixties, pioneered scuba diving and multi-hulled sail boats on that island and has recently emigrated to this island of Bonaire.
Sunday had arrived, and the family was to fly home that afternoon. They stopped by Karel's to say good by to Johan, who was just opening for the day. The Old Diver with his ever present whiskey glass was already there enjoying the morning on the waterfront. He looked up as the family approached, and then returned his attention to his drink.
The family first said their goodbyes to Johan. Then the father spoke to the Old Diver, "Your gift was very generous, and we all thank you."
As they turned to depart, the Old Diver spoke to the little girl. "Excuse me. I think this is yours." He reached down to the seat beside him, picked up a long, narrow, home made box and handed it to the little girl. All attention was on the box, and no one noticed the Old Diver slip away.
"What in tarnation!" Puzzled the father as the little girl opened the box and exclaimed, "Mommie, where are her legs?" Looking over his daughter's shoulder, the father slowly let out his breath and whispered, "It"s Majool. I'd know that doll anywhere. Look, there are the puppy's teeth marks."
"But, daddy, where are the legs?"
Johan leaned over to look more closelyat the doll and said, "Sweetie, I think she is the most beautiful little mermaid I've ever seen."
Everyone turned to look for the Old Diver, but he was nowhere to be seen. The mother lamented, "But he drinks so much!"
Johan chuckled and laughed openly, "Apple juice, madam, only apple juice. He's been on the wagon, now, for over fifteen years."
don/
|
By Captain Don (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #325) on Saturday, July 19, 2008 - 6:06 pm: 
