Fort Myers Beach; Towing and old friends!

“It won't start,” the young woman shouted from the stern of the 20 foot something powerboat drifting near Picnic Island just off the 'Miserable Mile.'

“Do you have an anchor,” Erie Earl shouted back to her. She looked puzzled and shook her head. “We don't want to anchor?”

“You'll need to stay put until your towing service can get there.” 

“Can't you tow us,” she asked.

“We aren't a towing service and aren't insured to cover damage to your boat,” I replied. Their boat was drifting closer to the flats and if they didn't anchor or we didn't throw them a line, they would be a ground. 

“Throw them a line, Earl.”

“You're taking a hell of a chance,” said Cap'n Crunch.

“I know, Crunchie, I know. I don't have a proper tow line and those spare dock lines can easily part but they're wearing bikinis and it's against the unofficial law of the seas to leave bikini clad damsels in distress.”

We didn't have to go far. Their destination was Jonathan Harbor. We assisted them loading the powerless boat onto their grandfather's lift and they treated our bug-eyed group with unsweetened ice tea. At that point 
 I had to ask, “Why didn't you call your towing service when the engine stopped?”

“We don't have a towing service,” said the older of the three college aged girls. “I called Grandfather and he said he dropped the 'Sea Tow' service after the free period ended.

“That's a very intelligent grandfather, you have,” said Erie Earl. “Letting his granddaughters flag down complete strangers.”

“This boat is practically new,” said another of them in a puzzled tone. “New or old, they all break sooner or later.

“Goodbye old friend, I'm leaving Cheyenne!” Sometimes your old friends just don't want to live in the manner fate has dealt. 'New York John' was an active and healthy bachelor senior citizen who loved to work out several days a week at a local gym. After his first stroke at the gym while working out, he struggled to get his right side to return to full function. When he could touch all of the fingers on his right hand with his thumb, he returned to the gym.
Some of his friends questioned his decision to return to exercising. Whether that was dangerous or just coincidental we will never know but the second stroke was massive. Friends that visited him in the hospital said that he wanted them to get him out of there but they couldn't. The 'Dead End Canal Yacht Club' will miss John Healy as well as his neighbors, friends at local watering holes and the local bartenders. He had no local family but a pacel full of people who will miss him.

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