Free Mango Lucky by Bill Myers Page A

wrecker to pull it out."
     
    "Anna, look closer. There's movement inside the car. Somebody's in there."
     
    Anna wiped the fog from her window, and looked again. "You're right. There's definitely someone in there."
     
    Then she said, "You know we've got to try to rescue them."
     
    I nodded, "You got any rope?"
     
    As it turned out, Anna did have a thirty foot bright yellow tow strap in the back of the Land Cruiser.
     
    She explained it this way, "When you spend enough time on this coast, you learn to be prepared. I always carry a tow strap. Too many tourists park in the sand, and need help getting out."
     
    She pointed to the back, "I'll get the tow strap, and you go talk to the driver. Tell him we'll try to pull him out."
     
    I reluctantly stepped out into the driving rain. The water in the road was almost up to my knees and rising fast. It was cold and murky.
     
    Hunching over to shield my face from the wind and stinging rain, I made my way over to the car.
     
    As I got closer, I could hear barking. A dog. Inside the car.
     
    When I reached the car I was surprised to see that the dog was alone. No one else was in the car.
     
    I double-checked to make sure. I went around to each window and looked in. The dog was alone. No one in the front seat, and no one in the back.
     
    Just a big black dog. Standing in the driver's seat, wagging his tail. Very happy to see me.
     
    No signs of anyone else.
     
    I wondered what kind of person would abandon their car in flood waters, leaving their dog to drown?
     
    I looked at the dog and said, "Don't worry buddy, we'll get you out."
     
    I tried the driver's side door, but it was locked. All the others were locked as well. All the windows were rolled up.
     
    Turning back toward Anna, I shouted, "No driver. But there's a dog."
     
    My voice was drowned out by the roar of the storm. Anna couldn't hear me.
     
    Wading back through the flood water, I finally reached the Cruiser and Anna. Pointing back behind me, I said, "No one's inside. Just a big black dog. "
     
    Anna thought about it, then said, "Well the dog didn't drive out here by himself. Maybe the driver got out looking for help."
     
    Looking around, we could see the only place the driver could go would be up over the beach dunes toward the Atlantic. And there wouldn't be any help that way.
     
    "What if," suggested Anna, "the driver of the car is out on the beach metal detecting. Maybe he doesn't know the water is up over the road."
     
    I nodded, "That's possible. But no matter what, we can't leave the dog. He'll drown if the water comes up much further. So we either find the owner, or we break into the car and take the dog with us."
     
    Pointing at the sand dune, I said, "I'll climb up there and see if I can see anyone on the beach."
     
    I waded back through the water to the car, then left the road and turned toward the dune. It was thick with sea grapes, but there was a small path leading to the top. I followed it.
     
    As I neared the top of the dune, the wind hit me. Coming straight off the white caps of the Atlantic ocean, it was full of foam and sand.
     
    Shielding my eyes, I scanned the beach, looking for the driver of the car.
     
    It didn't take long to find him. He was about twelve feet below me with a metal detector in one hand and a sand scoop in the other.
     
    He was furiously digging a hole in the sand, which the incoming tide and pouring rain was filling back in almost as fast as he was digging it out.
     
    "Hey!" I shouted and waved my arms overhead, trying to get the man's attention.
     
    No response.
     
    He either didn't hear me or was ignoring me.
     
    Rather than waste time shouting, I made my way down to the base of the dune and stood directly in front of the man.
     
    He looked up, "What the hell? What are you doing here?"
     
    I pointed over my shoulder, "The Indian River is flooding. You car is nearly under water. Your dog is going to drown."
     
    Still digging, he said, "I can't leave