Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

We will run a series of stories by Loren Moore and other writers as our final farewell to a wonderful man.?  There will also be a tribute by Kathy Baker to be included in this series as well.? 

Special Treat ??“ Clara Westerfer & Loren Moore

March 16, 2006

A NIGHT AT THE BEACH

BY CLARA WERSTERFER & LOREN MOORE

Clara writes:
Jason and Francine, or Fran as she was called, were walking along the
beach. They were, in fact, looking for a place to sleep. They had
brought what they thought was enough money for the four day week end.
Then they met Gary who was hungry and on the street.
After hearing his story about either losing or someone stealing his
money, the good hearted youngsters were moved to give him $60 which left
them without enough funds to pay for the last night at the motel. It
was almost dark when they spotted an old abandoned car sitting in a
vacant field that abutted the beach.
The wheels had been removed and windows broken, but it would offer them
a bit of shelter in case of rain, someplace to keep their bags and a
place to conceal them from anyone walking along the beach. They walked
up to the car and found the seats were intact. They stowed their bags in
the floor, went back to the beach and watched the sunset.
Fran dug into the paper sack she carried and produced a cold
hamburger and even colder fries for each of them. They ate the meal in
silence, sharing a bottle of water. Fran asked Jason if they had enough
money to get home. Jason replied that he had their round trip bus
tickets and about $25, so they were ok.
When they got to the old car, Fran asked Jason if he had checked the car
to make sure there were no snakes or spiders in it. He gave an
affirmative answer, so Fran crawled in the back seat and Jason took the
front. They?  swam and played in the ocean that afternoon and were
tired. Sleep came quickly for them. Fran and Jason has been friends
most of their lives, living next door to each other. They had played
together as little children and attended the same schools.
This would be their last fling. When autumn came they would be going to
different colleges. Fran was an only child and Jason had two sisters,
but he felt closer to Fran than either of them. The parents had
instilled values into them early on in life. They knew they could call
home for money, and it would come, however, they were used to doing
things on their own.
They were both sleeping peacefully when suddenly something awakened
them. Fran opened her eyes but was unable to see anything except a
blinding light.
LOREN WRITES;

JASON WHAT IS THAT LIGHT?

FRAN I DON??™T KNOW.

JUST THEN A LOUD VOICE BROKE THE SILENCE OF THE NIGHT AND SAID, OK YOU
TWO COME OUT OF THAT CAR WITH YOUR HANDS UP. THEN JASON AND FRAN
REALIZED THE BRIGHT LIGHT WAS THE HEADLIGHTS OF A CAR.

AS THEY CRAWLED OUT OF THE CAR A DEPUTY SHERIFF WALKED OUT INTO THE
LIGHT AND PUT HAND CUFFS ON JASON AND FRAN. THEN HE LED THEM BACK TO
A SQUAD CAR AND PUT THEN IN THE BACK SEAT. AFTER THAT THE DEPUTY WENT
BACK TO THE OLD CAR AND GOT THEIR BAGS. HE PULLED THE SEATS OUT OF
THE OLD CAR AND MADE A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE OLD CHASSIS.

AFTER DRIVING TO THE COUNTY JAIL, THE DEPUTY TOOK JASON AND FRAN IN AND
PUT THEM IN A CELL. JASON KEPT ASKING WHY THEY WERE?  PUT IN
JAIL. THE DEPUTY FINALLY TOLD HIM BECAUSE THEY HAD SOLD COCAINE AND
THEY HAD A WITNESS.

IT WAS A SMALL JAIL IT ONLY HAD FOUR CELLS, TWO ON EACH SIDE OF AN
AISLE. JASON WAS IN ONE CELL AND FRAN WAS IN ANOTHER. THEY COULD
LOOK ACROSS THE AISLE AND SEE SOME ONE IN ONE OF THE CELLS ON THAT SIDE
OF THE AISLE. HE SAT ON THE STEEL BUNK WITH HIS FACE IN HIS HANDS.
THE CELL NEXT TO HIM WAS EMPTY,

JASON WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? THEY WILL LET US HAVE A PHONE CALL.
ARE WE GOING TO CALL OUR PARENTS AND TELL THEM WE??™RE IN JAIL?

LET??™S JUST WAIT UNTIL MORNING. THIS IS JUST SOME KIND OF HORRIBLE
MISTAKE AND BY THE MORNING IT WILL BE CLEARED UP.

AT THAT, JASON AND FRAN HEARD A GROAN FROM THE CELL ACROSS THE AISLE AND
THE PERSON THERE LOOKED UP. ???GARY??? THEY BOTH SAID. WHAT ARE YOU
DOING IN HERE?

GARY TOLD THEM THE DEPUTY SHERIFF HAD CAUGHT HIM SELLING COCAINE AND HAD
ARRESTED HIM.

CLARA WRITES;

Fran looked at Gary and cried out, ???Gary, what have you done? Did you
drag us into this mess with you? Some one had to tell the Deputy that
we were selling dope and it must have been you!???
Gary hung his head and looked sheepish. ???It was like this. When I got
busted, the cop asked me where I got the stuff I was selling. In
truth I had stolen it from a junkie who was asleep under the pier. I
lied and said I bought it from you two. Otherwise I would have been
charged
with selling as a dealer. I told them it was just a bit I had bought
from you guys. I??™m not a user. I needed money since mine was
stolen, and thought this was an easy way to get it. I only wanted enough
money to have some fun for the next couple of days. I??™m really
sorry.???


Jason called out to the deputy, who was sitting about 10 feet away,
and asked him if he had heard the story from Gary. The deputy
admitted he had heard it all. He said it looked like they had made a
big mistake in arresting Jason and Fran, as there was no evidence that
they had
any illegal substances in their possession. The deputy took a big
ring of keys off the desk and unlocked the door. Fran and Jason had to
sign some papers and claim their personal effects and they were free to
leave.
Not having anyplace else to go, the kids headed back to the beach.


Fran remarked that it was only one in the morning and maybe they could
get some more sleep. As they neared the old junker of a car, they saw
what looked like a man standing beside it As they drew closer, they
could see that he was wearing old type pirate clothes. Jason asked
Fran if this was a costume or something he was wearing. Fran
whispered to Jason, ???He has a real peg leg.???


LOREN WRITES:

JASON GRABBED FRAN??™S HAND AND THEY TURN AND STARTED BACK THE WAY THEY
HAD COME. BUT THE PEG LEGGED MAN WAS NOW STANDING BEHIND THEM AND HE
DREW A LONG SWORD FROM BENEATH HIS COAT AND SAID, ???HOLD THERE
MATIE??™S. WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU??™RE A GO??™EN????

FRAN WAS SO SCARED SHE COULDN??™T SPEAK. JASON KEPT LOOKING AROUND FOR
SOME PLACE TO RUN. BUT HE COULD SEE THAT HE AND FRAN WERE NOW
SURROUNDED BY PIRATES. HE DIDN??™T KNOW WHERE THEY HAD COME FROM, THEY
WERE JUST THERE.

THE PEG LEGGED PIRATE ORDERED ONE OF THE OTHERS TO BLIND FOLD THE
PRISONERS. ???AYE??™ CAPTAIN,??? SAID ONE OF THE PIRATES AND HE WRAPPED
DIRTY OLD BANDANNAS AROUND JASON AND FRAN??™S HEAD OVER THEIR EYES.
???COME ON LADS LET??™S GET BACK TO THE SHIP.???

CLARA WRITES;

Fran was terrified and started to cry. Jason assured her he would
find
some way to get them out of this jam. In only a short while they were
told to step over the rail onto the deck of the ship. Jason was taken
away from Fran as evidenced by the command of the Captain to ???Remove the
lad to another place, where he and the lassie can na plot.???

What is going to become of us? Where are we going on this old ship?
thought Fran. The Captain removed Fran??™s blindfold after Jason was
taken below deck. She could see the Captain in the moonlight and the
light from the torches. He was a swarthy man with a black beard that
curled in ringlets on his chest. His hair was down to his shoulders
and he held a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other. His heavy
black boots made a clomp, clomping noise when he walked. His voice
sounded like thunder and he let out a big belch, before saying to
Fran, ???Well, lassie are you a wonderin??™ what is next????
Poor Fran just stood there with tears pouring in a rivulet down her
cheeks that were smudged from the dirty bandanna. Finally she
composed herself enough to speak. ???Yes, I would like to know why
you have kidnapped us and what are you going to do to us?

???
LOREN WRITES;

WELL LASSIE A YOUNG WENCH LIKE YOUR SELF WILL FETCH A HANSOM PRICE ON
THE TRADING BLOCK AT PIRATES COVE AND AS FAR AS THE LAD, I HAVE NEED OF
MORE CREW. ONCE WE ARE AWAY FROM LAND I??™LL BRING HIM UP OUT OF THE
HOLE AND START HIS TRAINING.

MEAN WHILE BACK AT THE JAIL, THE DEPUTY DECIDED HE WOULD GO OUT TO THE
PIER WHERE GARY SAID HE STOLE THE DOPE FROM THE JUNKY AND BRING THE
JUNKY IN. HE COULD SLEEP OFF HIS FIX IN A CELL.

WHEN THE DEPUTY GOT TO THE PIER HE WALKED DOWN UNDER IT AND FOUND THE
JUNKY. BUT HE WOULDN??™T BE TAKING THE JUNKY BACK TO JAIL. HIS
THROAT HAD BEEN CUT AND HE WAS DEAD.

THE DEPUTY KNEW GARY HADN??™T KILLED HIM BECAUSE THE BLOOD WAS STILL
DRIPPING FROM THE WOUND. GARY HAD BEEN LOCKED IN A CELL WHEN THIS WAS
DONE. THE DEPUTY CALLED FOR AN AMBULANCE AND WHILE HE WAS WAITING HE
SEARCHED THE AREA. THE LOOSE SAND WAS STIRRED UP BUT IT HELD NO FOOT
PRINTS.

I WONDER IF I MADE A MISTAKE TURNING JASON AND FRAN LOOSE. THE DEPUTY
WAS THINKING WHEN THE AMBULANCE GOT THERE. HE DECIDED HE WOULD GO
LOOK FOR THEM. HE WENT BACK TO THE OLD CAR WHERE HE HAD FOUND THEM
THE FIRST TIME. HE FOUND THEIR BAGS THERE BUT THEY WERE NO WHERE TO
BE FOUND.

CLARA WRITES;

Fran was still crying when the men brought Jason from below. Jason
tried to get to Fran, but was held tightly on either side by a large,
burley Pirate. ???Let her go, she hasn??™t done anything wrong and neither
have I.
If you need a captive, keep me, but leave Fran alone.??? Yelled Jason.
???No, no??? cried Fran. ???I won??™t go without you Jason. What is all this
anyway? We are living in a modern world. Where did this old timey boat
and all these pirates come from? If I had only brought my cell phone, we
could call for help???


The ugly old captain swaggered up to them and said, ???Looks like they are
not going to cooperate with us. I knew right away that girl would be a
passel of trouble. Get the plank ready. We are making them walk it
tonight.???

? 
Suddenly there was a bright light in Fran??™s eyes. Goodness, it was
the sun! She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and looked around. They
were in the old car! She called for Jason who rose up from the front
seat.

? ???What do you want, Fran? Where are we? Is something wrong? Are
you ok? Oh my gosh, I was dreaming we were arrested and sent to jail???
said Jason.
Fran replied, ???Let??™s get out of this old car and down to the bus
station. If you think you had a bad dream, wait until I tell you
mine! There were pirates and boats and they were going to make us
walk the plank!???

As the youngsters gathered their things and plodded their way to the bus
station, they passed a police car at the end of the pier. Curious, Jason
walked over and asked the deputy what was happening. The
deputy replied, ???Oh nothing much. Just a junky got his throat cut under
the pier???
The End.

?© COPYRIGHT 2005