The Abandoned Lighthouse
Captain Talbot’s Story
Part Two
“Did you have a good day out on the boat, Jerry?” asked Captain Talbot.
He was talking to his old high school buddy, Jerry Arwal as they stood on the docks on the outskirts of Ocean Valley. It was an overcast day in mid-August. The air was warm and muggy. The ocean churned with a gray unease.
“So-So, Ed,” replied Jerry. “The fish weren’t biting like usual. I think they’re skittish about the upcoming storm.” Jerry cast an eye towards the sky.
“Yeah,” replied Ed, also looking up. “The weather report said a storm was coming up from Bermuda. But it shouldn’t be too bad.”
“I hope not,” replied Jerry. “I have plans to take my boat out to deeper waters on Thursday. Hoping I’ll have a better catch out there.”
Ed nodded as he pulled out his pipe. He put in a bit of tobacco and lit a match. He started puffing on the pipe. Small smoke circles floated above him.
“I’d check the evening news tonight and watch the updates,” said Ed. You should know by the morning if there's any change.”
Jerry nodded as he tied up his nets and placed them on the afterdeck of his boat.
Ed headed up towards his lighthouse. The Talbot Lighthouse had been in his family for generations. It was built in the mid-1800s by Asner Talbot. The Talbot family had settled in Ocean Valley not long after the town was founded. They were a fishing family and made their living catching crabs and lobsters off the coast. Asner built the lighthouse after a storm had damaged many of the boats, hurting the family business.
Ed had inherited the lighthouse from his father who retired in 1970 and moved to Florida. Ed worked at the lighthouse a few evenings each week after his days as a tour guide. He hoped to pass on the lighthouse to one of his teenage sons. But they seemed to be caught up in the disco craze that was sweeping the nation. The boys would be glued to the television watching music shows or playing their records late into the evening. Ed hated the music. He was into jazz and classical. Disco music hurt his ears.
At the top of the lighthouse, Ed checked the electrical controls for the giant floodlight. He would need to speak with his friend, Wallace about getting a new lighting fixture. Wallace had been telling him of some new technology he heard about from other lightkeepers on Cape Cod. Ed was curious to see what the technology was about.
The sky grew darker despite it being five-thirty in the afternoon. Ed did a final check of the ocean to see if any boats were still out. He saw nothing as he swept the area with his spyglass. All of the boats were back and tied up at the dock. Ed shut off the lights and headed downstairs to his car.
The drive home was rough. The wind had picked up and blew debris in Ed’s line of vision. Sand, rocks, and shrubs were all over the road. Lights flicked on in homes as Ed drove past. His place was at the far end of Moss Stone Drive. It was a new development built by realtors looking to cash in on Ocean Valley’s growing appeal.
“I’m so glad you’re home, honey,” said Helen, Ed’s wife. She had on an apron that covered her work clothes. Helen was a daycare teacher in the next town. She hugged Ed and gave him a peck on the cheek. Ed grinned as he took off his coat and hung it up on the coat rack. Allen, his middle son, came bounding into the room.
“Hi daddy!” exclaimed Allen, jumping into his father’s arms. Ed gave his son a bear hug, causing Allen to giggle and squirm in his grip. Ed put him down and ruffled Allen’s hair.
“How was school today, champ?” asked Ed. He grabbed the paper that was on the main table in the foyer and headed for the living room. Allen was on his heels.
“It was great, daddy!” Allen replied. “We learned about hurricanes today.”
“Is that so?” said Ed, reading the sports section. “ “What do know about hurricanes, Allen?”
“That one is coming towards Ocean Valley,” said Allen, grinning with glee.
Ed dropped the newspaper into his lap. He stared at Allen, confusion all over his face.
“What are you talking about, champ?” said Ed. “There’s no hurricane headed towards Ocean Valley.”
Allen vigorously nodded his head. “Uh, huh, daddy,” he said. “ My teacher told us how hurricanes are formed and then we watched a weather report on tv and the weather person told us a hurricane was coming towards us.”
Ed looked at Helen who nodded in agreement with Allen’s words.
“The storm has been upgraded to a hurricane,” said Helen. “It’s all over the news. The town selectmen said we need to hunker down in our homes, preferably in our basements.”
Ed’s mind was whirling. A hurricane? There hasn’t been a hurricane in the area since his grandfather was a boy. He had told Ed all about the storm and how it nearly wiped out the town. Ed reached for the remote and turned on the tv.
“Yes, Hurricane Walter is heading towards the coast of New England,” said the weatherman. The coasts of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire need to prepare for this storm which looks like it will pack a wallop when it makes landfall later this evening.”
“I’m going to make sure to put the trash barrels into the garage,” said Helen. “We also need to bring the dogs in.”
Ed worried about the lighthouse. It was still in good shape, but a hurricane may change that.
Ed got up from his chair and grabbed his coat. Helen looked at him with fear on her face.
“Where are you going?” she asked. “We need to prepare the house for the storm.”
“I need to make sure the lighthouse is secure, honey,” Ed replied. “There may be boats out there that’ll need to be guided in.”
“I understand, Ed,” replied Helen. “But the roads are getting treacherous. And look it’s pouring down raining now.”
Ed looked out the window. The wind was whipping through the trees. The rain was coming down at an angle. It was pitch black outside.
As Ed thought about staying home, the phone rang. Ed answered it.
“Hello?” said Ed. “Oh hello, Selectman Davis….what?! There’s a boat still out on the water?! I thought all of them had made port! Yeah….yeah…I’ll get to the lighthouse and guide them in. Yeah..I’ll be careful.”
Ed slammed the phone down. “Helen, there’s a boat still out the ocean. It needs help getting in,” said Ed. “I have to get to the lighthouse,”
Helen grabbed Ed’s hands. “Ed, please be careful,” she said. “Come back quickly.”
Ed nodded, grabbed his car keys, and hurried out of the house.
To be continued…….
