The Fog Page #3

My dad and two of his hands,

they boarded the brig -

the Resa Jane.

No one was on board.

There was food on the table

and a hot, steamy cup of coffee

but underneath,

the tin cup was rusted to the table.

And then something caught my father's eye.

It was a gold doubloon,

minted in Spain, 1867.

My dad picked it up,

put it in the pocket of his jacket,

zippered it up, came home,

told us the story.

And he unzippered the pocket

to give me the coin.

It was gone.

I think I'll go to Vancouver now.

"April 21st. The deed is done.

"Blake followed our false fire on shore

"and his ship broke apart

on the rocks off Spivey Point.

"We were aided by an unearthly fog

that rolled in, as if heaven-sent,

"although God had no part

in our actions tonight.

"Blake's gold will be recovered tomorrow

"but may the Lord forgive us

for what we have done."

I couldn't read any further.

Your grandfather had a way with words.

Our celebration tonight is a travesty.

We're honouring murderers.

Side one, KAB promos and lead-ins.

More music on top of the world.

KAB 1340.

33.

KAB 1340.

57.

From the top of the world.

Fabulous 1340.

KAB Antonio Bay.

31.

From the top of the world, fabulous 1340,

the smooth sound of KAB,

Antonio Bay, California.

54.

KAB 1340.

31.

The sounds of the surf from Antonio Bay.

KAB 1340.

39.

Fabulous 1340.

KAB, Antonio Bay.

More music on top of the world.

KAB 1340.

E- S-T one eleven B.

Cut two.

From the top of the world, fabulous 1340,

KAB, Antonio Bay.

Father, where did you find this?

My grandfather hid his sins in the walls.

When did you find it?

Last night, just after midnight.

What difference does it make?

That's the same time

the rest of the town fell apart.

The same time the six conspirators met.

- 100 years ago.

- It's really getting late.

There's not much we can do

about any of this.

Are you going to give

the benediction tonight, Father?

Antonio Bay has a curse on it.

Do we take that as a no?

Maybe it's just as well.

We're leaving now.

Will you be all right?

I'm gonna call Dr Thayden

and ask him to just drop by.

I think you're taking this much too seriously.

We're all cursed, Mrs Williams.

All of us.

1340.

KAB.

44.

The smooth sound.

Fabulous 1340.

KAB.

45.

From the top of the world,

fabulous 1340.

KAB.

Antonio Bay, California.

46.

Something that one lives with

like an albatross round the neck.

No, more like a millstone.

A plumbing stone, by God. Damn them all.

Every hour, on the hour,

KAB news and weather.

10.

Every hour, on the hour,

KAB news and weather.

End side two, KAB promos.

How can a man drown

and not touch the water?

He had water in his lungs,

saltwater round his mouth,

seaweed in his clothes.

Unless...

You OK?

Did you see his eyes?

Yeah, I saw his eyes.

Andy, the telephone.

I got it, Mrs Kobritz.

- Hello.

- Where did you get that driftwood?

I told you, it was on the beach.

- Where?

- By the rocks.

What was it doing?

First it was a gold coin,

then it turned into the wood.

I want you to stay away from the rocks.

Don't pick up anything else off the beach.

- It didn't belong to anybody.

- I know, it's all right.

Just don't pick up anything

unless you get me first, OK?

OK.

- Is Mrs Kobritz there?

- She just came in.

OK.

I have to start the broadcast.

Don't leave the house tonight.

- Mom.

- Promise me.

OK.

- I love you, Andy.

- Me too, Mom. Bye.

Ahoy, mateys.

This is Stevie Wayne, your night-light.

And KAB, Antonio Bay, California,

is on the air.

I've lined up some tunes to help you

celebrate the 100th birthday of Antonio Bay.

So let's get down to business.

- What did your mother want?

- Nothing.

It must have been something.

Nothing.

Mrs Kobritz,

what are those clouds out there?

Evidence of deep, penetrating wounds

in each ocular orbit,

entering into the cranial cavity.

Also, jagged lacerations of the face...

- You wanna wait out front?

- I'd rather wait here with you.

Thorax has been crushed

and the lungs are filled with fluid.

Talk to you a minute?

She gonna be all right?

Did you talk to Simms?

By radio. He's coming back

from Bodega Bay.

- What happened out there?

- There was rust everywhere.

Like it had been there a long time,

taking on water.

He was down below.

His wounds are covered with algae,

his lungs are full

and there's silt under his finger nails.

I saw Dick Baxter

three days ago in Salinas.

Now he's in there, looking like

he's been underwater for a month.

- Do you feel that?

- I'll tell you what happens.

- It just got cold in here.

- The water acts like ice.

A body would take a year to decompose.

Longer, if it was deep and cold enough.

But he was on the boat.

He was below decks.

No, Dick Baxter died in the ocean.

Remember those kids that went diving

for that old boat off the point?

We got to 'em, they'd been down

for a week, ten days.

I swear to you right now,

he's been down longer.

Nick!

While the wrecking of that beautiful ship

upon our coast was, of course,

a tragedy to those who were in the ship,

it was the catalyst that brought together

all the people of this wonderful area.

They came together,

they formed the charter for Antonio Bay.

The charter by which

you have voted for these councilmen

who sit on my left and my right tonight.

The coastguard's looking for them.

They're gonna cover the area pretty good,

so all we can do is wait.

I understand, Sheriff.

Thank you.

I gotta go. I'm up next.

I'm so sorry, Mrs Williams.

It's funny but all I can think about

is my silly dog barking all night

and me just wishing Al would come home.

Now we can't have the chairlady of the

birthday celebration in tears, can we?

You shouldn't go out there.

I think that's exactly what I ought to do.

I appreciate all your help.

It's OK.

I searched a long time for this one.

I hope you remember it.

Happy 100th, Antonio Bay.

The ceremonies are under way

at Shelby Square

and we'll have the candlelight procession

in an hour.

So if you hurry, you can still make it.

The coastguard found the Sea Grass

earlier this afternoon.

But there's no further word

as to the condition of the ship

or the men on board.

I'll keep you posted

as the news comes in to me.

Hope no one else gets lost

out there in the fog.

I'll be right back.

- KAB.

- Hello. My name's Nick Castle.

I'm one of the men who found

the Sea Grass this afternoon.

I'm sorry, I don't have any further word.

That's not what I called about.

You just mentioned something now

about the fog.

Well, this is gonna sound a little strange.

I saw the fog last night, out in the ocean,

in the distance.

It was... glowing.

The wind seemed to be moving due east

and the fog just kept moving west.

- I know it sounds crazy.

- Not right now, it doesn't.

Something happened last night.

At the same time that fog was moving in,

this whole town went unglued.

Hold on.

I've got some more birthday music for you

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