Bail Out

Miss Dixie, the Duke’s faithful bride, called Bubbie with an urgent message. It seems that the Duke’s fishing boat that he keeps moored at the river had sunk. She asked Bubbie if he could take a look at it and figure out what to do. Bubbie reckoned he could deal with it and he’d head there after work. Miss Dixie’s voice seemed strained over the phone and Bubbie asked her if she was alright. She said she was, but she didn’t want to mention anything about it to the Duke ‘cause he was having a bad day and she didn’t want to make it worse. She explained how the Duke started the day by slipping on some ice in the yard and hitting his head on the birdbath on his way to landing in a rose bush—thorns and all! The image of his caught Bubbie as comical, but thought better of it.
“I hope he’s alright.” Bubbie asked.
“Yessir, he’s fine.” she said, “But with all the other things he has going on right now, this doesn’t help.”
Bubbie assured her that he’d deal with it and not to worry. Word travels fast across flat pastures, though Miss Dixie's best intentions were to protect her man, his buddies were all to happy to needle him and within minutes the Duke called Bubbie and recited the same story Miss Dixie had told him about his boat being undered. Bubbie smiled to himself and assured the Duke that he would take care of it. Hanging up he chuckled to himself that it was funny that the Duke left out the part about slipping on the ice and whacking his melon the birdbath; but a man has to have his dignity.

Later that day Bubbie was on his way to bail out the Duke’s boat and he ran into Sweet Pea as she arrived home from work.
“What in the world are you doing out here in your bathing suit?” she asked laughingly, “its December!”
“The Duke called,” he laughed, “and his little fishing boat is under water. Come on, I’ll tell ya about it on the way…”

Bubbie spied the boat and sure enough, it was sitting on the bottom of the drink. About an inch of the black 25 horse Mercury was sticking out of the water. It looked as though it got hung up as the tide went out and tumped over. As the tide rose again, the little boat was catawampus just enough to let the water slip over the top rail at the stern. Neary a minute passed and Bubbie slipped his body over the seawall and slid into the cool river water. Sweet Pea laughed at his trembling as he hooted and his eyes were big as saucers. He released the motor from the transom and lifted it from the stern of the boat. He balanced it against the seawall and then managed to get he little boat propped up with a plank like a floating bathtub. After an uncounted number of scoopfuls of water with a 5 gallon bucket, the little boat was bailed out and floating freely. With Sweet Peas help, they roped the motor and pulled it up and onto the seawall as the sunset.

Sweet Pea wrapped Bubbie in a big beach towel and they laughed all the way home. Friends take care of friends. Bubbie has bailed the Duke out more than a few times and vice versa, but this was the first time it was literal. Let’s hope it’s the last; but if not, let’s hope it’s in the warmth of summer.