Peg laughed. “Let’s go before you start another world war. I didn’t know you were so anti-Margaritaville.” She hugged Trudy to distract her. “On a history note, there’s a story about Hemingway taking the urinal from Captain Tony’s when they moved the bar. He said that he pissed away so much money into the urinal that he owned it.”
“I just hope he didn’t take the toilet in the ladies’ room, ’cause I gotta go.” Trudy quickened her step and crossed against the light on Duval Street. A scooter honked. She about-faced with both middle fingers flying. “Suck on these birds you parrot-headed mother fu–”
“Let’s go.” Peg grabbed one of Trudy’s obscene gestures, leaving the other one firmly in position. Trudy sidestepped in front of the scooter and stared down the double-chinned, large-bellied driver.
“Looks like he’s had too many cheeseburgers in paradise,” Trudy added.
“Okay, okay… I get it.” Peg dragged her friend toward the bar entrance.
“I’m just sayin’ – definitely not wasting away.”
Peg shoved her friend in the door of Captain Tony’s. “And… we’re here. You go pee and I’ll get us some drinks.”
Trudy jogged in the direction of the restroom sign. Peg found a couple of spots at the bar. The densely tattooed bartender slapped his hands down on the bar in front of her, “What’ll it be, miss? Margaritas are our specialty.”
“No. I mean… no thank you. Two rum and Cokes, please.”
He looked surprised. “Don’t like tequila?”
“Tequila’s fine, but don’t mention the word margarita to my best friend, Trudy. Take my word for it.”
“Rum and Cokes. Got it.” He continued talking while he mixed the drinks. “Where you from?”
“I live here now but I’m from Chicago.”
“You’re local? Tonight it’s buy one get one free for locals.” He placed four drinks in front of her. “Chicago, huh? Never been. I hear it’s cold up there.”
Before Peg could respond, the bartender was called away on another drink order. Trudy sat down next to her. “Expecting company?” she asked Peg when she noticed the number of drinks lined up.
“Two for one, because I’m local. I’ll never get used to saying that.” Peg shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
“I, for one, right at this minute in time, am happy that you are a local.” Trudy picked up both of her drinks and clinked them together.
“I, for one, am happy that you are here with me.” Peg clinked her two glasses to Trudy’s.
“As the seafaring folk say, down the hatch.”
Summoned by the nearly empty drinks, the bartender reappeared with two fresh ones. “Welcome,” he addressed Trudy with a bow.
“Thank you. Why’s there a tree in the middle of the bar? I can figure out why the walls are decorated with bras.” Trudy sat up straight. “A bra can get pretty confining after several of these.” She lifted her replenished drink.
“Used to be an ice house, then a morgue. During a hurricane, the bodies washed out of the building. That’s a hanging tree where 18 people were hanged.”
… hurricane… floating corpses…
Peg turned her goose-fleshed neck sideways so that she couldn’t see the tree.
“Really? Nice. What’s up with the bathroom? Why do the lights flicker blue?” Trudy took a big swig.
“No way. Blue? You saw blue?” His eyes went wide.
“Yeah – a blue light flashed. Like a blue light special or something? More free drinks?” Trudy danced her cup in the air.
Peg laughed until she saw the look on the bartender’s face. “What’s the matter?”
“That’s the Lady in Blue. You saw the Lady in Blue.” He was excited.
“I didn’t see any lady – only blue,” Trudy corrected.
“That’s her. She was there with you.”
“Who was?” Trudy persisted.
“The ghost that haunts the building. She murdered her family and they hanged her from that tree. People are always trying to get her to come out. It’s really rare.” The bartender called out to the manager, “Hey boss, there’s been a Lady in Blue sighting in the bathroom.” He rang the bell hanging on the post in the middle of the bar.
The older man rubbed his hands together. “That’s great. We were thinking she’d return. Are you sure it wasn’t the other ghost? You know, the woman that killed her baby in the bathroom when she caught her husband up to no good? There’d be a blast of cold air if she was around.”
The men turned their attention to Trudy.
“Nope. No blast of cold air. God knows I would have welcomed any air conditioning, no matter what spirit world it came from.”
Peg gulped her drink.
“People say the ghosts turn up to give out warnings. I say – the next round of drinks is on the house.” The boss-man circled his hand like a lasso and four glasses appeared on the bar in front of the women.
“I don’t like this. I think that we should go.” Peg fidgeted in her seat and sorted through her wallet to settle up.
Trudy snatched Peg’s wallet. “First of all, I’m paying. Second of all, we’re not done with our drinks.”
Peg’s eyes welled up and she leaned closer to Trudy. “I didn’t want to tell you this, but the ghosts are after me. They visited me one night when I was sleeping.”
Trudy’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about? The potty ghosts are in your house too?”
Peg shook her head. “No, different ones. They’re called haints. The blue paint on the front porch was chipped and… um… they came to talk to me in the middle of the night and warn me something about Clark.”
“Smart haints.” Trudy’s smirk faded when she saw Peg’s hand shaking. “Oh my God, you’re really frightened. This isn’t a joke to you.”
Peg looked down, trying not to cry. However, fueled by alcohol and the proximity of her best friend, the tears flowed freely. The bartender approached them, took one glance at Peg, then quickly about-faced.
“I don’t know what’s the matter with me. I’m trying to be strong and do this whole new adventure thing, but it’s hard and I’m scared and I’m all alone.” The choking sobs increased as Peg spoke.
Trudy hugged her friend. “You’re not alone. I’m here.”
“I know and I’m so happy that you’re here,” she cried harder, “but you’re gonna leave and I’m gonna still be here… alone.” Her shoulders heaved up and down.
Trudy held Peg’s face in her hands and used her thumbs to wipe away the tears. “Look at me. I’m not gonna leave you. I won’t do it. Tucker and I will move here to be with you. I miss you too. We’ll rent something at first and then look around to buy.”
Peg red-eyed her friend in disbelief. “Really? You’re serious? You’re not saying this ’cause we’ve had 15 drinks… right?” She smiled through her remaining tears. “For real?”
“Sure. I’ll figure it out. They need accountants here. Right? Why not?” Trudy’s eyes glistened under her glasses.
“Why not?” Peg blew her nose with a bar napkin. “We’ll all be together again. The four of us on our daily walks, just like old times.” She tipped herself off the barstool and bear-hugged Trudy.
Trudy returned the big hug. “I’ll drink to that. To our future.”
Ceremoniously, they double-clinked their glasses.
The bartender reappeared with four shots of tequila. “Tequila is the happy booze. I thought you might wanna change it up.” He handed Peg the box of tissues from the other counter. “I’m having trouble knowin’ if I should console or congratulate.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry, I’m usually not like this… but I’m fine now because my best friend is moving here… for real… she’s gonna do it.”
“It’s true. I’m gonna do it.” Trudy held up the shot glass.
“I’ll drink to that too.” The bartender filled a shot for himself and raised his glass to Trudy. “May the wind be always at your back. Cheers.”
>
They emptied their glasses.
The dusty fan oscillated in the corner of the bar next to a guitar player. His long hair blew alternately in, then out, of his mouth as he sang. The crowd grew louder as it increased in size and alcohol intake. The friendly bartender hustled into work mode while customers lined up to place their orders.
Trudy folded several bills under her shot glass. “Getting too crowded in here.”
“Right. Let’s go.” Peg swilled the last sip and stood up.
They waved to the bartender, who saluted them as they left.
Peg clasped Trudy’s hand and swung her arm up and down. “WHOOO. I’M SO HAPPY,” Peg yelled into the blustery wind.
Trudy swiveled her hips in rhythm with her arms. “WHOOO. I’M SO HAPPY TOO.”
“I wanna show you this cool neighborhood. It’s called the Annex and it’s so perfect… almost like it’s pretend. Nipper and I walk there.”
“Okay, neighbor.” Trudy and Peg ringed-around-the-rosy in full giggle.
Holding hands, they skipped down the palm tree-lined street.
Had they not been dancing, and had they been sober, they might have noticed that: the wind increased in both speed and intensity; the coconuts ceased to be hanging on branches; the wind blew at their backs.
THWACK.
Trudy fell.
Peg tripped over her downed friend.
The coconut rolled onto the road.
“Trudy… Trudy… Are you all right?” Peg crawled along the sidewalk to her motionless friend. She picked up Trudy’s head and blood flowed freely from the back. “Trudy… Speak to me. Oh my God… No, this can’t be… NO.”
She yanked her phone from her pocket and dialed 911 with unsteady fingers. “An emergency… a coconut… my friend… please help… I’m in the Annex… the main street… hurry.”
Without a second thought, Peg whipped the shirt off her own back, revealing a sweat-stained exercise bra. She crumpled the wick-away shirt and held it to Trudy’s bloody head.
Not working… won’t absorb…
She cradled Trudy in her arms and whispered in her ear, “You’re gonna be okay… we’re gonna be neighbors… you’re gonna be okay.”
The ambulance sirens wailed around the corner and grew louder until the vehicle came to a stop, lights flashing next to the curb. Two EMTs leapt out. One opened the back door of the ambulance for the stretcher, the other grabbed a medical kit and rushed to Peg.
“Lie down, miss. You have blood all over you. Can you speak? Where are you hurt?”
Trudy’s head resting on her lap, Peg looked down at her now-bloody exercise bra. “No, not me, it’s my best friend… hit on the head with a coconut… still breathing… not talking.”
“Let me take a look at her.” He knelt down and Peg moved aside.
Carefully lifting Trudy’s head, he leaned over to examine her. Rivers of blood fell from the balled-up moisture-resistant shirt. He opened up some heavy gauze and wrapped it around and around and around her head.
“She’s gonna be okay, right? She got here today… a few hours ago. But she’s gonna move here… to be with me.” Peg grabbed his shirt.
“Settle down, ma’am. We’re gonna do everything we can. Please sit down.” He disconnected Peg’s hands from his neckline. Bloody fingermarks stained his collar.
The other EMT came forward with the stretcher and placed it next to Trudy. “What happened?”
“Another coconut to the head. That’s the third one today.” He turned to Peg and asked while pointing, “Is this the coconut here?”
“Yes, I think that’s the one. Or maybe it was the one to the left… I’m not sure… Does it matter?” Peg rubbed her goose-bumped arms.
“I’ll take both of them. They’ll use them to analyze strength of impact.” He turned to his partner and said, “Give me a blanket. She’s in shock.” He covered up a shivering Peg with the blanket.
“She got any ID?”
“Trudy. Her name is Trudy Stanislowski.” Peg stared down at her limp best friend.
“Okay. Does Trudy have a photo ID?”
“I think so… in her back pocket. Hurry… can’t you help her?” Peg begged.
“I don’t want to move her. We’ll get it once she’s immobilized.” Both EMTs nodded in agreement.
The uniformed men carefully slid the stretcher under Trudy’s body and fastened the straps.
“On three.” The men grasped the stretcher’s handles. “One, two, three.”
Trudy levitated into the ambulance. One EMT followed her into the vehicle while the other stabilized the medical equipment so that the doors could close.
Peg cried, “I’m going in there with her… not leaving her alone.” She threw the blanket off, scrambled to stand, then staggered to the ambulance.
The EMT intercepted Peg. “Ma’am, we can’t take you in the back of the vehicle, but you can ride in front.” He picked up the blanket from the ground and guided her to the passenger door.
Peg resisted and ran to the back of the ambulance again. “I need to be with her… when she wakes up… I want her to see me.” The EMT inside the ambulance closed the door. Peg stood on the bumper and suction-cupped her hands to the glass. “Trudy, I’m here. I won’t leave you.” Peg pressed her face to the window.
“Ma’am, come with me. We’ll be at the hospital in five minutes. The faster you cooperate, the faster we can get help for your friend.” He offered the blanket back to Peg and motioned toward the front of the vehicle.
Peg looked in the window then back at the EMT. “I’ll be here, Trudy. I’m with you… in the front.” Peg patted the side of the ambulance and stepped off of the bumper. The driver rewrapped the blanket around her shoulders and opened the passenger door.
Once seated, Peg sobbed as the engine started. “It’s all my fault… bus people said we’re doomed… took her to a haunted bar…” sniff, gasp, “…the lady ghost in the potty warned her…” sniffle, snort, “…Trudy said she’d move here…” chortle, wheeze, “…the bartender toasted us… wind to our backs…” deep breath, “…it was to our backs all right… bastard…”
“We’re at the hospital, ma’am.” The driver bolted out of the door.
Disoriented and bedraggled, Peg zigzagged out to meet the medical entourage that surrounded Trudy at the back of the ambulance. To their right, Peg saw the emergency room. To their left, she heard a helicopter’s whirling blades.
The group circled Trudy like ants.
“What happened?”
“Coconut.”
“To the head?”
“Yeah.”
“Better write it on her so they know how it happened.”
“Right.” He took out a marker and wrote COCONUT in big black letters across Trudy’s forehead under the white gauze.
A doctor bellowed a command over the commotion. The pod of white coats, and Trudy, proceeded to the left.
“Where’s she going? Why aren’t you taking her into the hospital?” Peg grabbed the doctor’s coat sleeve.
“It’s a potential brain injury. We don’t handle them here. She’s being life-flighted to Miami.” He shouted to the pilot who walked past them, “Another nut case.” The pilot saluted and continued toward the helicopter. The doctor noticed Peg’s bloodstained bra. “Are you bleeding? This lady’s bleeding. Help her STAT.”
“What? NO.” Peg shrugged off the nurse who approached her. “Miami? What are you talking about? She can’t go to Miami. She’s staying here with me.” Peg ran toward the helicopter. “TRUDY… TRUDY…”
The wind from the blades spun Peg’s hair into gravity-defying tentacles. Moving forward, she leaned her body into the force of the blasts.
The nurse reached through the hairdo maelstrom and pulled her back.
Peg saw Trudy through the large window of the helicopter. The orange straps cocooned her friend’s body. The white bandage mummified the top of her head with the letters “N-U-T” exposed on the right side of her forehead
. One of the coconuts was strapped next to Trudy’s breast, creating the illusion that she wore a tropical brassiere on her chopper ride out of Key West.
The helicopter lifted into the air.
“Noooooo.” Peg fell to the ground.
The nurse stooped down. “Let’s get you inside.”
Peg knelt on the concrete until the sound of the helicopter blades faded out of earshot.
“Come on. I’ll get you a shirt to put on.” Supporting Peg’s elbow, the nurse helped her to her feet. They walked together through the emergency room entrance.
“Are you sure you don’t need medical attention?” the nurse asked as she rummaged through a box of clothes marked clean. She handed Peg a fluorescent yellow tee shirt.
“No, I need to know where my friend is going. I have to be with her.” Peg tugged the shirt over her bloodstained bra. It said Will work for beer.
“I’m sorry, it’s all I could find,” the nurse said.
“Could be worse… the shirt… I mean… not my life… that… actually… could not be worse.” Peg held out her hands. Her nails were crusted with rusty dried blood.
“Are you related to the patient?”
“No, I’m her best friend.”
“Then, due to privacy laws, the dispatcher and staff won’t give out any details about where she’s going.”
Peg slumped. “But I’m like a relative… closer than a relative.”
“Go home and get some sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning. Do you have a ride?”
Peg shook her head and whispered, “No.”
The nurse nodded to the woman behind the desk. “Call Conch Taxi Service.”
The excitement, disappointment, alcohol, fear and sadness caught up with Peg. “My best friend… she’s not coming back here, is she?”
“No, she’s not,” the nurse replied, then disappeared through the door.
“Cab for one?” asked the woman on the phone.
“Yes, I’m alone.”
Finding Trudy
Day One (post coconut)
“As I said before, ma’am, I can NOT give out any information about your friend. The only thing I can tell you is that she is no longer at this facility,” the hospital admissions director snipped in a not-so-patient voice.
Island Life Sentence Page 14
