He placed his hand on the miniature craft and instantaneously his thoughts carried him back to August of 1492 and he was captain of the forth ship supposedly heading for Asia. Cristoforo Colombo captained the Santa Maria, the Pinzon brothers captained the Pinta and Nina, and he captained his stupendous craft.
He snapped from his mental wandering when the shop owner asked,
"Do you think it will float?"
"It doesn't have to," replied the lad in a matter of fact tone. "I'm sure it would but just feeling it is enough to carry my thoughts to far off places."
"Do you like to travel?" Rupert asked the youth.
"I don't know if I do or not. I've never been anywhere until just a couple minutes ago and that wasn't really traveling. I was just thinking nice thoughts."
"That's really the best part of any trip," the wizened old gent answered sharing feelings with his untraveled friend. "Pleasing thoughts and pleasant memories are what journeys are made of," and added as though the idea had just entered his head, "would you do me a favor?"
"I guess it depends on what the favor is," answered a thinking intelligent preteenager.
"Would you take the boat home with you, play with it on the lake, and someday tell me all about it. Remember all the places you visit and all the things you do and see. I'd do it myself but I'm far too tired and years too old."
A young heart raced at the thoughts of owning such a divinely created object. This treasure was beyond doubt the greatest present he had ever received, and it came from a total stranger.
"Yes, I can do that favor for you," a thankful voice answered slightly above a whisper.
Bobby Townsend cherished his wondrous gift above all manmade things for there wasn't another one like it on the entire planet. Twenty eight inches of hand carved wooden delight that was whittled and polished into a toy that only left his side when climatic weather conditions permitted him to play with it on the lake. His boat. His alone. The one the carving master had made just for him; and what a magnificent feat he had accomplished.
The steering wheel on the aft deck of this floating wonder served a dual purpose. Besides controlling the the rudder and the direction the boat would travel it also doubled as a stop for the four bladed wooden propeller that caused the boat to slice through the water. The steering wheel moved forward or aft a full inch and the shaft of the wheel was attached at the forward end to another shaft. The bottom of the second shaft was connected to, and moved, a dowel. The dowel moved back to fit between two blades of the propeller and prevented it from moving. A large red rubber band inside the boat's body acted as its engine. The aft end of the rubber band was attached to the propeller by means of an oversized cup hook and the forward end was moored to the boat body with a large single eyelet. It provided force to move this marvolous piece of floating transportation in a predetermined direction. When the band was wound in a clockwise direction, as it unwound, it moved the boat forward and when wound in a counterclockwise direction moved the boat aft.
Bobby learned to set the rudder in the exact position to allow the boat to cruise out into the water, activate a three hundred and sixty degree circle, and return to him before the rubber band became totally unwound.
Hour after joy filled hour he entertained himself playing with his incredible toy and his childish mind ran rampant as he traveled to far away places. Yesterday he had rounded The Cape Of Good Hope and destroyed a pirate ship that was trying to plunder one of the Queen's sailing vessels. Today he had traveled to China and was returning home with a load of toys that were free to anyone that wanted them. He also carried an antique jade ring, once worn by an ancient ruler, that would adorn his mother's finger.
Tomorrow, if the weather permitted, he would cruise past the Aleutian Islands ( where his grandfather had been stationed in World War two ) and wave hello to the Russians and Americans as he passed up through and back down through the Bering Straits. After his passing was complete he'd head his vessel for home and be there in time for dinner. But, the following day would be the greatest day of all for him since he received his precious gift. It was the Fourth of July and he would decorate his fine vessel with a small red, white, and blue, flag that would be proudly display as his toy sailed on the lake.
The rest of the town's people would be celebrating, as they did every year, by gorging themselves until their bloated stomachs nearly burst. They would devour numerous pounds of hot dogs, hamburgers, Bar-B-Q, watermelon, and a variety of liquid refreshments in quantities sufficient to float a battleship. They would reserve a small portion of they turgid tummies for various and sundry desserts. After allowing a minimal amount of time for their food to settle they would play the yearly town soft-ball game.
This Fourth of July was one of those picture perfect days that could only have been enhanced by some earth-shaking event. Such as being awakened early by the doorbell and opening the door to find a Publisher's Clearing House representative standing there holding a check for ten million dollars with your name on it; correctly spelled in big bold letters.
Bobby arrived early at the lake and had his boat in the water before many of towns people had arisen to greet the day. He had wound the rubber band to its limit, set the rudder, and was watching as his boat cut through the glass smooth water making a circle that would eventually end close to his feet.
He had taken a dozen dream-filled sojourns to tropical islands, or iceberg laden waters, and was preparing his toy for yet another expedition when he heard the horn sound that declared to one and all "come and get it." Carrying his boat with him he entered the park to fill the empty void that acted as his stomach. Immediately after devouring enough food and drink to satisfy his young body he returned to the lake.
He was surprised to see five year old William Owen Green the third, son of Mayor William Owen Green Jr., drifting around on an inner tube. He and Willie were the only two in or near the water and it fleetingly entered Bobbie's mind that someone as young as the child floating around by himself might not be able to swim. He wondered why his parents left the tot there unattended but instantly turned to his fantasies and was off on another glorious trip.
The boat had completed the trip out and back and as he pulled it from the green-black water to rewind the rubber band and prepare it for another cycle, he relived the adventure he had experienced only minutes before. He had been diving for natural pearls off an island in the Pacific, that had been blessed with millions of ambitious oysters, and now his boat was loaded nearly to the waterline with his nacreous treasure. In his reverie the large perfect pink pearl he had plucked from the insides of a huge oyster would be a perpetual mental reminder of his journey.
He had nearly completed winding the rubber band motor inside the boat and would attempt to rescue some people from an uncharted island. They had been marooned by an extremely powerful tropical storm and in his young imaginative mind he could almost hear one of them in the distance yelling for help. He snapped from his daydreams back to reality when he realized he was indeed hearing a call for help. Far from the safety of the shore a small frightened child was struggling to stay afloat in an inner tube that was nearly airless. Bobby's first inclination was to run to the park for an adult but feared the tube would completely deflate. If Willie sank beneath the surface his tiny lungs would void themselves of oxygen and fill with water and William Owen Green the third would cease to exist. Bobby could swim but not the distance required to reach the panicky lad and bring him safely back to shore.
He quickly and apprehensively wound the rubber band so tight an additional twist might cause it to snap, set the rudder on a direct course to the floundering child, and walked into the water. When the tepid wetness reached his belt line he placed the boat out in front at arms length. Holding on to the aft of the boat with one hand he pushed the steering wheel forward to released the propeller. He put his free hand on the boat and with all the power his legs could muster started swimming toward the frightened youngster. The pull of the boat and the kicking of his feet propelled him swiftly through the water, for awhile, but the extra weight caused the rubber band to unwind faster than normal and he was still five feet from Willie when his boat stopped dead in the water. He released the boat and swam to Willie who was holding on to a deflated tube that had no more value as a flotation instrument than a piece of waterlogged wood. Using his right hand he seized the lad by the hair, turned him on his back to assure his mouth was above the waterline, and started swimming toward the boat. As soon as he was close enough he nudged it with his left hand and turned it around pointing it toward shore. Once it was heading in the desired direction he told the frightened tot to hold on to the boat mid section and he moved to the aft of his craft where he reached under the water and started winding the rubber band. Remembering the band had completely unwound five feet short of Willie he decided to give it a few extra twists. On the last turn of the propeller he heard a loud snap and the prop began free wheeling. He had wound the band too tight and it had snapped.
He moved Willie from the boat midsection and put him on his back like he was going to give him a piggyback ride. As the child wrapped his arms around Bobbie's neck to hold on, the desperate rescuer put his hands on the stern of his boat and started kicking his feet to create forward motion. Pushing the boat in front and pulling the dead weight behind was not an easy task and Bobbie tired quickly. He was having trouble just keeping his own head above water and the shore line still looked miles away. He knew he had but one choice. He must release his grip on the boat and try to swim back to shore with Willie in tow. But in his heart knew neither of them would make it.
Just prior to release he felt the boat jerk ahead in the water and start slowly pulling them toward the beach. At first he thought a breeze must be pushing them but then noticed the water being powerfully churned by the propeller. Even his young mind knew that was impossible. He was positive he had overwound the band and broken it.
The boat gained speed and was now moving so fast Bobbie feared he might lose his grip. When they were five feet from shore the boat made a sharp turn to port and literally body surfed them to dry land.
Bill Cheney appeared pulling a trailer and fishing boat behind his truck just in time to see the dilemma of the youngsters. He immediately yelled for help and ran to the water's edge to assist in any way possible. Bobby retrieved his boat, placed it in the sand next to his feet, and sat down on the sand exhausted. A crowd started to gather and Mayor Green momentarily lost his breath when he discovered who the-could have been drowned-victim was. The child was unperturbed by his experience and even seemed to enjoy it. After Mayor Green ascertained his offspring was out of harm's way he turned on Bobby.
"I knew that silly boat of yours would get you in trouble but I thought you were way too smart to give a small child a ride on it. You could have killed him." As he finished speaking he raised his foot and slammed it down on the boat smashing it into a hundred different pieces.
"Daddy," Willie yelled as he eyed the destroyed boat and the expression on Bobbie's face. "I didn't ride on the boat. I was on the inner tube out in the middle of the lake when all the air went out. Bobby and his boat saved me and....and ....and....you broke Bobby's boat." Mayor Green sheepishly turned to the unheralded hero.
"Is that true, Bobby?"
"Yes, Sir," Bobby answered fighting back his true feelings.
"I'm so sorry; I didn't know. I'll replace your boat."
"You can't," Bobby answered through misty eyes as he lifted his head to look at his adult assailant. "That was a special boat. When I played with it I could go anywhere I wanted to. In my mind I was a sailor and visited beautiful lands and did many fun things. I saved shipwrecked....." His words broke in mid sentence and a radiant smile enlightened his face that almost told a story. "Now that I think about it today was the greatest trip I could possibly take. I rode to the middle of the lake and back and saved Willie's life. What better experience could I have than that?"
"I feel like a fool for destroying your toy but I'll never forget what you and your boat did for me and my family. There's no way on earth I can repay you for saving my son and I'd like to have your boat repaired if it's possible."
"It wouldn't do any good," Bobby said somewhat surprising the gathered throng. "The boat was given to me to perform a special job and it has done it. I would be happy if you had the boat glued together and placed somewhere so we could see it every day and remember we're neighbors and should help each other just like the boat helped Willie and me."
The Mayor thought for a moment, nodded his head in the affirmative, and said, "I"ll see what I can do." Two weeks later Bobbie and his family were invited to the Mayor's office so the town hero could see what had happened to his boat. It had been glued back together and refurbished to look as much like the old boat as possible and was scaffold inside a glass cage. It was to be housed in the City Hall, just inside the door, so every person would see it twice. Once when they arrived and again when they departed.
Beneath the ship was a gold plaque engraved with these words. THIS SHIP HAS BEEN NAMED
REPROBUS
REPROBUS WAS A ROUGH PAGAN WARRIOR...SIMILAR TO THE ROUGH PIECE OF OLIVE TREE THIS SHIP WAS MADE FROM... AND LATER BECAME SAINT CHRISTOPHER,THE PATRON SAINT OF TRAVELERS.
