Past and Present

by Julie Feldman

As usual, canon characters belong to R.A. Dick and 20th Century Fox. I make no money from these stories.

This is the last story in the series that began with Touch and Go, and it references Double Trouble Squared. If you haven't read those stories, I urge you to read them now, so you can fully understand the plot of this story.

The second week in July 1976

Daniel

It's hard to believe that it's been ten months since Carolyn's accident and the beginnings of my ability to be solid, to take my place in the modern world alongside her, the children, Martha, Claymore and all the rest. My business is going well, better in fact than I could have thought possible. Of course, Candy and Jonathan, my two helpers/partners are integral to that success and I enjoy spending the time with them. It's taught us all a lot and brought us closer together. They really have become my children.

With this being the bicentennial year, Schooner Bay has prepared for a greater-than-usual influx of summer visitors and my partners and I were very busy preparing our charts and trinkets. I was able to pay off Carolyn's start-up loan six weeks ago and I received a commission from a restaurant in Rockland for a very large sea chart, so I am well on my way to being able to afford a used car. I expect that by the summer's end, I will be able to contribute sufficiently (and routinely) to the family income so that I can wed Carolyn at last.

I rented a small space on the town wharf outside of Deke Tuttle's Antique Furniture Shoppe at the end of May, and by early June, the children and I had set up an open-air stand. A good, sturdy canvas sail serves as our roof and at night Deke has been kind enough to store our table, benches and goods in his back room. As I expected, people would begin to stop by for a look from mid-morning to early evenings. Candy, Jonathan, (even Carolyn at times) and I would be at the stand in shifts. We quickly learned that the summer people usually arrived in town on Sunday afternoons, tired from their trip and typically had an early dinner. By Monday, they were rested enough to start exploring the town and by Thursday, they would spend many hours out of doors. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, I would keep the stand open as late as 9 o'clock. Sometimes we made our best sales on these nights after the visitors had enjoyed a good meal and some wine!

Jonathan had been working on his key rings and now was carving them into a variety of shapes. Carolyn and I had been discussing getting him a jigsaw, but we were both a little concerned that he doesn't yet have the strength and maturity to handle it without supervision, so he still does all his shaping by hand and lacquers on bits and pieces of paper printed with nautical designs. Candy has made a goodly number of decoupaged lunch boxes, but she is beginning to feel that the decoupage rage is waning and is casting about for a new "product" to offer. Still, both their items have been selling well to the tourists, and they both have growing nest eggs.

I have any number of prints that I had done on the block printing press that Ed Peavey and I had rebuilt in the winter, about two dozen, small hand-drawn charts and have even convinced Martha to let me print up three of her recipes (clam chowder, cherry pie and fish stew) on old-looking paper. These are appealing greatly to women who aren't interested in the nautical items and it gives Martha a little money as well.

Last week, Schooner Bay was quite lively with Bicentennial celebrations. There was a carnival for the children, a re-enactment of the founding of the town, (they asked me to portray my ancestor, Alexander Elias Gregg!) and of course, speeches and a grand fireworks display on the 4th itself. There was some talk about moving the traditional summer "Strongest Man in New England" contest and the Seafarer's Ball to that week, but all in all, the town council felt that it would be too much all at once and leave the middle of the summer season with nothing worthwhile to offer.

And speaking of the "Strongest Man" contest, I have thought long and hard about entering it again. I may be 143 years old, but I look and feel 110 years younger, and I am sure that with a bit of shaping up and training, I could easily win it again. But, I am a businessman now, and I have to tend to business first and foremost, for my family's sake. So, I will let others have the title for the time being, and look forward to Jonathan winning it in a few years. However, I will absolutely, positively and irrevocably take Carolyn to the Seafarer's Ball. I will pull out my formal Captain's uniform and dance the night away with her in my arms as I dreamed of doing each and every year since she and her family moved into Gull Cottage.

It's been a typical week, so far (last week was busier than it had been, but the town was more crowded due to the July 4th celebrations). Candy and Jonathan open the stand around 10 am on Mondays and Tuesdays. I use the mornings to produce more product in my basement workshop. I relieve the children at about 2 pm and stay until between 6 and 7 pm. In the middle of the week, I open up first with Jonathan and then the next day with Candy, so that each of them can have some time off. On Friday and Saturday, it will be all hands-on deck for most of the day, with each of us taking some time off for meals, although, I always send the children home no later than seven and keep the rest of the watch myself. On Sunday, Carolyn and I open up the stand around noon and stay open until about six. We enjoy doing this together and laughing call ourselves, "Mom and Pop Gregg" as we do our best imitation of two old "Downeasters" to please the tourists.

Today is Wednesday, and after I came back from my lunch break, I found Jonathan speaking to an older couple who were looking at one of my small, hand-drawn charts. They were both casually dressed, but I noticed that the lady had an expensive hand-bag on her arm, and her husband's shoes were of very fine leather.

"Your Dad makes these by hand! Wow, that's incredible, son!"

"Look at this chart, Bud. It's the passage between Nantucket and Hyannis Port. Don't you think Tim and Janet would love it?"

"You're absolutely right, Dottie. But I think I would love it more in my office." The man turned to Jonathan just as I ducked under the sailcloth.

"This is my father. He'll be happy to answer any questions you have," the boy said, looking over at me and giving me a warm smile. I put my hand on his shoulder and gave it an appreciative squeeze. Jonathan is a good salesman, although Candy, with her bright smile and outgoing nature often sells more than the two of us combined.

"How do you do. I'm Daniel Gregg. Can I tell you about my charts?" I extended my hand congenially.

"I'm Bud Whitmore. This is my wife, Dorothy."

"Of the Whitmore Marine Engine Company?" I ask.

"Ah, you know of us. Well, you're obviously a man who's spent time around the ocean."

"And on it, sir!" I replied.

"Most people can't draw sea charts anymore. It's wonderful to see that you're keeping the art alive."

We chatted on about charts and marine craft and all sorts of things until Whitmore noticed that his wife was looking a bit bored. "Would you be able to make a larger version of this chart? Say five by eight? I think it would look even more impressive," he asked.

"Yes, I can. I'm working on a very large item now and I think I need about two more weeks before it is finished. I would be able to start on your chart immediately after, and would need about ten days, if that is convenient for you?"

We discussed the price and Mr. Whitmore gave me a deposit. Mrs. Whitmore bought a set of Martha's recipes and two of Candy's lunchboxes for her grandchildren and a few key rings to set aside as stocking stuffers for Christmas. Not a bad profit for the first half of the day. Perhaps I should buy some jewelry for Carolyn to wear to the Seafarer's Ball.