9. Bahamas

Wow! Me, Top Detective!

And I never thought the Ocean City Police even knew I existed!

I was  excited--Effie was excited--and I really didn't know what to do next!

"I guess I 'll just stay here and continue with the work I always do." I said to Effie. "This is a bit sudden!"

I was thinking I needed some time--maybe some time away from my usual distractions--to decide what to do.

Just then my good friend Ollie walked in.

"Hi, Constable." He said. "I was hoping you would be in. I won a couple of tickets to the Bahama Islands for a two week vacation---hotel, meals, car rental--everything paid, but you have to use 'em now and I can't go.

"I thought maybe you would like to use them? Anyway, here they are. Bye!" 

And  he walked out leaving me with a couple of tickets and wondering what was going on!

...

8. Promotion

Starry and I parted at the cafe and I continued to my office still carrying the trident I had found.

Effie, my walrus secretary, met me at the door.

"Hi, Effie. Look at the cool trident I found out in the rocks."

"Very pretty, Constable. Here is an envelope that was just hand-delivered for you. It looks important."

"I opened the envelope. Inside was a letter from the Ocean City Police Department.

"Dear Constable Crab," it said, "Congratulations for a job well done. 

We have reviewed your outstanding performance as a reef constable and have decided that you should be immediately promoted to Chief of Detectives for your area. 

This will mean tripling your present salary and giving you a larger cost of living and housing  allotment. 

You may stay in your present reef location or come to the city to work. Whatever you decide is all right with us. 

Best wishes in your continued excellent work.  

A. Frump, Chief of Ocean City Police."

 

 ...

7. Surprize Desert

 The tempura was delicious.

Starry and I finished and were having a nice after lunch chat when the waitress came by again with the desert menus.

"Do you have a little room for desert?" she asked.

"Oh, why not--lets!" Starry said and we accepted the menus.

What I hoped to find listed was my very favorite desert--strawberry tart--but it was not on the menu.

"Yummy!" Starry commented, "They have Orange Sherbet with Chocolate Flakes and Hot Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese..."

But before we could make a decision, the  waitress appeared again carrying a silver tray with two deserts.

"These deserts are not on the list," she said, "but our chef baked them for his own family this morning. 

"When he heard that the famous Constable Crab and his friend Starry Starfish were our guests he sent them out with his compliments--on the house. 

"He hopes you will try them and enjoy them. 

"They are his own specialty: Strawberry Tarts."  

...

6. Fern Special

 We walked together into my reef and as we passed a little restaurant Starry said: "Hey, Constable. How about a bite of lunch? I'll treat!"

"Sounds good to me!" I said, and we made our way into the place.

"They used to have such a wonderful chef here." Starry said to me as the hostess was showing us to our table, "His name was Yamamoto and he made the most delicious  Bracken Fern with Tempura Mushrooms! They were my all-time favorites, but he retired a couple of years ago."

When our waitress came to the table and handed us our menus, she said: "You might like to try our Special of the Day, Bracken Fern with Tempura Mushrooms! 

"Our new head chef, Wally Yamamoto, the son of our old retired chef, has just started working here today. He has learned all his father's secrets and people say his cooking is just as good as his father's was!" 

"Wow! That's pretty amazing, Constable!" Starry said,  "Let's try that Bracken Fern with Tempura Mushroom Special!"

"Sounds good." I said, but I had a funny feeling about this second odd coincidence since I picked up the peculiar trident--which I was still carrying!

 

...

5. Starry Appears

Meanwhile, back in Constable Crab's part of the ocean:

"This is QUITE a find!" Constable Crab thought to himself as he turned the strange object he had found over in his claws. "I sure wish Starry was here to see it with me... uh...STARRY?!"

"Hello, Constable. Nice to meet you out here."

"But, Starry! What in the world are YOU doing out here?"

"Oh, I just felt like taking a walk. Why? What's up?"

"I found this odd thing--and the oddest part of it is that just when I thought I would like you to be here with me to see it--HERE YOU ARE!"

"Not so weird, Constable. As I said, I thought I would take a walk a while ago and here I am."

"But, Starry, what a coincidence! Have you ever taken a walk in this part of the ocean at this time of day before?!"

"Well no. But my day is not so routine that I always do the same things at the same time, ya know. I am not a perfect creature of habit. I still have a bit o' free will!"

"OK, OK. Anyway it is wonderful to have you here! Take a look at this thing I found!"

"Cool! Looks like a trident. I know what it is, 'cause I've seen pictures--but I never saw one in person before, ya know."

"I haven't either. How do you think it got out here?"

"Well I don't know. People up there are always droppin' things in the water! It's a constant rain of stuff."

"But--a TRIDENT?!"

 

...

4. The Word Goes Out

 "All right, Isiah," Saul said to his Chief of Staff shortly after the meeting with sorrowing Father Neptune, "You know the drill. The King has misplaced his trident again, so I want you to..."

"Find it?"

"Yeah, Dumbkopf! Find it! But not only find it, but be quiet about finding it! Neptune's trident is one-of-a-kind magic powerful! If it ever got into the wrong hands the world would be in BIG trouble!"

"Chee! I dunno--where do you think I might start looking? Most of the world is ocean and you know Neptune's antics when he--uh--indulges in a little Joy Juice--and that fast bunch he runs with--heck, the trident could be anywhere from Maine to Madagascar."


"Or offshore Terra del Fuego and a hundred fathoms down. I know. I know. Well, you knew when you took this job that it was not all tea and cakes and you halibuts are famous for knowing what's going on at the bottom--so get going and bring me that trident PRONTO! Got me?"


"I'm on my way Boss!

...

 

3. Lost Trident

Meanwhile, in another part of the ocean, this conversation was taking place:

"OH, Drat and Pooh, Saul! It's GONE! I've LOST it!"

"Now, now, Your Majesty, Maybe you've just misplaced it...?"

"Nope!  I've looked everywhere that I usually put it and it's GONE!"

 "Have you looked in the...?"

"Oh, Saul, I have looked everywhere. It was that party I went to with the squids and the porpoises! They are such a fast crowd and we were all over the place and I had too much Joy Juice to drink as I sometimes do..."

"You DO love that Joy Juice!"

"Saul. What shall I do? YOU are my First Counselor--so  give me some council!"

"Well your trident is your most famous symbol of authority, Father Neptune, and it is also a bit magical I believe?"

"Oh, more than a BIT, Saul! Why with that TRIDENT I can do wonders, but without it I am just another old merman!"

 "Then as your First Councilor, I advise you to take it easy, sir. Relax! I will find it for you or my name ain't Saul the Sole!"

"Oh, good, Saul! I feel better already! GO GET  IT, SAUL!"

 

...