Chapter 21

So ... we crossed 31 and knocked on the big door ... the door the secretary/receptionist Never answered ... because that door was for hourly employees and she was salaried ... she was ‘white collar’ and the rest of the staff was ‘blue.’

Well ... except David ... HE was the general manager and the ‘salvor.’ David had ‘pull.’ ... and he had recommended her as the best of the graduating class ... lo these many years ago.

After knocking ... we just barged in ... Unca Dave was used to it.

“I want my ladder,” I said.

“Hello, your Royal Highness.” He said, “Come to see the yacht?”

“Yup,” Junior said.

“We’re busy ... come back tomorrow.”

And I SAID, “It’s my ladder ... I want it now.”

“I can’t spare the men to haul it over and set it up,” he said.

“There’s two of us ... we can haul it our own selves.”

And he chuckled and said, “Have at it.”

Which I never expected and had never happened before. Some-one of the men hauled it for me.

Let me tell you about WOOD ladders ... or just ladders in general.

Dressed for Pentwater in the winter, I weigh 73 pounds.

An aluminum 40 foot extension ladder weighs 80 pounds ... a fiberglass one weighs 92 ... I had to have wood ... and that one weighed 110 pounds.

“Wood,” you asked.

Aluminum conducts electricity ... and I am known to be clumsy. Wood does not ... unless it is wet ... I don’t work in the rain.

Fiberglass splinters.

I only truly needed 32 feet but I like being able to step off the ladder to the deck ... having something to hold onto while stepping? ... priceless.

The street is US 31 ... even if the REAL 31 is out of town.

Two girls hauling a 20 foot pair of ladders across a major highway ... that sees a couple of vehicles a day? Look both ways and look again. If it’s snowing ... and it is ... look three times.

Lo and behold ... a swirl of snow ... the plow rode by. Behind the plow? A Greyhound bus ... and four cars. Two of the cars stopped, the first car drivers window rolled down and a figure asked, “First ... Where are we? Second ... coffee and a restroom?”

Junior ... in the lead said, “Pentwater. The Antler has coffee and a restroom.”

A voice out of the gloom, me, spoke, “Followed the bus?”

“Uh huh ... I think the bus followed the plow ... it’s NASTY out.

A query from the car, “Where’s the Antler?”

Junior said, “Follow the road two blocks, turn right at the corner ... don’t go straight ... it’s water ... three blocks and park. The Antler is across the road.”

And I said, “Everything else is closed for the winter.”

“Everything?”

“Ayup. First snow they roll up the sidewalks and everybody heads for the Bahamas.”

“Why are you here?”

“School ... and I was given a boat. I’m ‘fixing’ it.”

“Ah ... the reason for the ladder.”

“Yup, the Princess wanted to see it,” I said.

“Tyche! Shut up!” Said the Princess.