DRIFTER'S - - A Winter's Tale -

It was just  after 6:30 p.m last Saturday evening (Feb 23),  I was looking forward to a big bowl of taco soup that Laura had just made - and I was going to veg out on couch watching a "Netflix" series on the Tube - - Hey, after all - Its winter!  Looking out the window at the quiet lake which made a perfect reflecting pool, mirroring the lights of houses across the cove shimmering in the white reflection of moonlight and a substantial amount of ice covered snow from our recent winter storm - - I also noted the temperature was a balmy 27 degrees - - This was going to be a great night to catch up on doing "nothing" - - -
Wait - - The "BAT PHONE" is ringing - -!  (The Bat Phone is a dedicated cell phone on our 24 hr dispatch line) - - I thought  - WOW - its really late for "Google" to be calling to "google" me in to more of what I don't need or want!  - (If someday, the damn phone solicitors" could learn to speak English - - life would be GREAT! - That way they could understand YOU when you tell them to *** ------!!!)  - - sorry -  I digress - it was a local number!!

I answered with the usual greeting - - BOATU.S. TOWING - CHARLES - HOW CAN I HELP YOU? -
(figured it was just another do it your-selfer looking for "boat parts" that we don't carry - -

But wait - a surprise - voice on other end says:  Charlie this is Officer _____, Water Patrol - - "what you doing?" - - (my stomach sort of knotted up a bit - - and visions of my taco soup standing coldly waiting for me hours later, flashed through my mind) - NOW there's a loaded question - - first reaction is to say -  "what the **** do you think I'm doing!?  "Dude!,  It's Bloody Winter out!!  - - but then  remembered that somewhere buried in all our "flashy advertising" there's that little catch phrase that some Dum *** inserted about  - - "On call 24/7" - - sooo, before shooting my mouth off and shooting myself in the foot at the same time - - I said - - rather weakly - - Ohhh - Nothing much - -
He says:  Think you can go get a Drift-away Jet Ski for me near the 10 mile?? - - - choking back the "knee jerk" reaction to say: - - - **** NO!!! - - I said (in the most professional voice I could come up with)  Yes Sir!  I would be most happy to take care of that - - (the whole time wanting to curl up in a ball on the floor and suck my thumb - -) - - so after exchanging a few pleasantries - I hang up, gear up, suit up and make my way down the icy steps to the icy dock to drop the icy boat in the near icy water  - - hold breath and see if she's gonna start - - WALLA!  She fires up and is running like a sewing machine (with a knock)  - (its a diesel boat) - underway - headed for the 10 mile.  15 minutes later, I arrive on scene and, sure enough, here is our pesky little drifter PWC, bobbing around in the middle of a cove - -.

2000 Kawasaki PWC, partially submerged

Great! - life is good -WAIT - - officer NEGLECTED to mention  -  This sucker is half sunk - -!!! (Taco soup is getting colder by the second) - - I get hooked up - and take off for home in a slow tow -
(To fast and they can roll over or submerge)  Oh well, nice night, bright moon, I wasn't doing anything anyway - - - -

DRIFTER'S - - DRIFTER'S - - WHEN WILL FOLKS LEARN THAT A "HOIST" can and WILL leak DOWN - - TIE OFF THY BOAT! (and you might want to leave plugs in too) - -

Due to temperatures and to avoid freezing, the PWC
will be left submerged until arrangements can be made to run / preserve motor 

Well, after a hour and 45 minutes, our "Drifter" is in impound slip (still partially submerged, as water temperature is higher than Air Temp, until owner can be located)  Met with the Water Patrolman and filled out the paperwork - - just another day (night) at the office - Laura had kept the soup warm - - and we really are "OPEN 24/7" !- -