Chapter 19

Strangers in the Night:19.

"Why didn't we come in the other end, then?" I asked her.

"This end was closer," she said. It made perfect sense to her.

I shrugged the shrug of Ok. You win. The lifting of one shoulder and tilting the head towards that shoulder, all the while keeping the You ARE batshit crazy look off my face.

"And the key to the doors on that end are lost," she continued.

"And how do we get the doors open?" I asked.

By now we were in the boats. Sleek hulls stretching away in the dim light on this end of the warehouse. Curving sides catching the light and sparkling as the curve presented an horizon of white and dark blue each step fraught with danger from sharp edged steel or iron cradles loving caressing supporting the glass or perfectly carved wood planking.

"Didn't your family believe in anything small?"

"As I understand it ... no. More is better and more more is great. These are all Swan boats ... big water. There's nothing smaller than an 80. That's the dinghy for the 200. You look disappointed."

"I am. I really want something I could trailer to the water and load after the day on the water was done."

"Those are at the marina at the lake," she informed me.

The lake was home ... Vehmersalmi ... halfway across the country.

There was a phone in the warehouse. Wendy called Dalmar, Dalmar called home, Ursula called the marina and called Wendy.

Weird, I know. But you're dealing with Finns. It doesn't have to make sense.

"Yes, Ursula?" Wendy was answering.

"All out?"

"Go buy another?"

"Ok, got anything in mind?"

"Sure ... we can do that."

"Bye," Wendy hung up.

"We're going to Jake. Ursula wants a Baltic."

She immediately called Dalmar, "Daddy."

"I know ... Daddy ... quit crying."

"Momma wants a Baltic."

"David and I will pick it up, sail it around to Helsinki and make trailer arrangements."

"Probably a month."

"Honest man of him?"

"I don't know about that ... but for sure I'll fuck him."

Even I could hear him laugh.

"Daddy, we need a ride."

So ... we took Ursula's car back to Valmaat Motors and took the Valmaat helicopter to Jakobstad and Ab Kraftline Oy. Laukkovägen 1, 68600 Jakobstad, Finland to see what they had ready. "Now, not tomorrow, not next week. Today," Wendy said.

The General Manager had nothing. Oh, there were boats delivered and confiscated but those were in other countries and everything they had here was building.

"May I use the phone?" Wendy asked, "I need to call my mom."

She was directed, dialed 9 and them Ursula's number. After about ten rings she said, "Sorry about that, mom."

"Yeah ... but it's only because it makes you feel old."

The General Manager and I lost it. We got the MOM glare.

"Baltic is fresh outta boats. Swan do?"

"I know we have too many Swans but they're here ... Wait a minute ... no they're not."

"I'll ask."

"Bye, Mom."

"Mr. Toivonen. Are there any Baltic boats in Finland for sale?"

"My son's 45," Mr. Toivonen explained, "He's in trouble. Wife, girlfriends, boyfriends. $103, 000. It's one year old."

"Where is it?"

"Kuopio."

"That's where we live." Wendy said. "Please ... it's not funny."

"It is if you know his girlfriend, Ursula."

I whispered to Wendy, "I bet we find Mom's panties."