While alongside at Emu Point Slipway in Albany, I heard my dear lady shouting in the night. “Put that down. Get out of it.”
Groggy, coming out a deep sleep, I thought she was dreaming, and was about to comfort her back to sleep, when I felt her crawl over me. That got me wide awake. I sleep next to the companionway.
Rising in the dim light, I heard Jude shout that someone had been on our boat and had just gotten off. So without a thought, I was away like a shot, over the rail, onto the dock and off towards the empty parking lot. In the dim single lamp, a large figure was walking off with something in his arms. I ran after, shouting, “Put that stuff down! Walk away and nothing more will happen!”
Reaching alongside the figure, he was bigger than me, shirtless and carrying our two green shopping bags in one hand, and in the other, swishing round n’ round something like a long Kung-fu stick, which I carefully kept out of its range.
“Now look buddy, you don’t want any trouble. Just put that stuff down and get out of here and there’ll be no trouble.” Not a word in reply, just the swishing of that long stick. I looked about the dark marina, not a soul in sight. Looked back to the young man, the stick caught the arc light and became our homemade boat hook whose sharpen stainless end doubles as a gaff. (READ MORE)
True Stories from Faraway
by Cap’n Jack
Tweaked by Jude
Our most popular short stories are now in print with a swag from our early years when sailing with our sons, plus two not told before, African Honeymoon and Malpelo Lessons. Read more on Reflections