There Was Something Inside

At our wit’s end, my roommate Candice and I decided that we had to take a chance on not getting COVID-19 and go on a trip. A trip to ease our minds and get us back to some kind of normalcy. We worked at a steakhouse that like so many other restaurants was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Now six months into the pandemic it was time for a break. We decided to take a trip to Precious, Mexico. A small, quaint secluded little village that we read about in The National Museum Magazine. The flight over was Lourd, bumpy and scary. When the plan finally hit the runway, I said an extra prayer of thanks. After going through all of that we still had to rough it another 36 miles by bus to our journey’s end, however it was well worth it. It was everything we ever dreamed of, beautiful people, peaceful, calm and quiet...but most of all a chance to get away from all of the COVID news with no tv service. Our plan was simple for seven days on this beautiful island we would explore the entire community one day at a time. We embraced each day with vigor and enthusiasm. The first few days blew by like a tumbleweed. With only a couple of days left we decided to slow down and really take in the sights. This beautiful morning our walk would take us by the only church in the village. I thought to myself the people must all get alone really well to belong to the same church. The church was very old and it looked a bit wobbly but upon touching the wood it felt like the rock of Gibraltar. It had a magical Ora about it that invited you to go inside. We kept trekking down the beautiful brick lined street until we ended up at an open air market. There was all kinds of handmade and homemade treasures. We stopped at a handmade jewelry booth...the beads were very colorful and for some strange reason they made me think of the church. I became fixed on wanting to go back to the church... I kept thinking someone was inside. I told Candice I would be back. I turned around and walked back towards the church. She asked where I was going? I didn’t answer I just kept walking. I had to see inside the church. As I climbed the steps I was hesitant but I slowly pushed on the door and it began to open. At that moment I could feel Candice’s hot breath on my back. I pushed the door open wide enough to stick my head in and Candice stuck her head under my arm. We saw a young couple weeping. I thought maybe they were having marital problems and needed the church’s help. A few minutes passed and they walked over to the alter. There was a large black book, a bible I thought on the pedestal in front of them; they lifted the top and I noticed small gold hinges at both ends. A casket I whispered, I could hear Candice gasp as we slowly backed out of the door. We didn’t speak, we quietly walked away. We were walking slower now and it wasn’t our usual chitter-chatter. It felt like we were quietly mourning with the couple from the church. Trying to walk off our sorrow, we lost all track of time and ended up on a stretch of beach that looked abandoned. The waves were rough yet calming and the suns rays warmed our aching hearts like a soaring barn fire. In between our stops I caught a glimpse of something in the water. I asked Candice if she saw something and before I knew it she had jumped in the water. I was terrified for her because I could not swim. I knew if she got in trouble I could not help her. I began screaming her name in horror. A large wave came in and covered her entire body. By now I was crying hysterically... I though I had lost her. When the waves went back out I could see her coming towards me. Feeling a bit of courage I ran out to meet her. I noticed a blue metal box in her hand...”it’s heavy help me” she said. I grabbed one end of the box and we got it ashore. After a brief rest we hauled the box back to our room. Our next ordeal was getting the box open, it had a lock on the front and back. After trying everything we could think of I decided to go to the office and borrow a hammer...they looked at me strange but they gave it to me. It took some hitting and knocking but after forty minutes we finally got it open. To our disbelief there was no water in the box...it was airtight. A large set of keys was on top, a letter that said to be opened by my wife Mrs. Bertha Harris, a small black book and a bunch of fishing bait. The black book was the key to everything. On the first page it read: This book belong to Lee Marshall Harris the date is September 20, 2017 and if you are reading this you have found my last communication on this earth. The book went on to say that he wanted everything in the box to be returned to his wife Bertha Harris.

Wow! We never imagined that our trip would turn into a rescue and deliver. We were anxious to find out the story behind what we had found. The first step was to contact the wife Bertha Harris. There it was in the little black book Bertha Harris’s phone number.. we were hesitant to call a complete stranger but our curiosity got the best of us. Before I could say anything else Candice dialed the number. I thought we needed to rehearse what to say but at that moment Someone answered the phone. We asked to speak to Ms. Harris and she said this is Bertha Harris. We put the phone on speaker and as ackward as it was we began to try to explain what we had found on the beach. And then that moment came where your hair stands on the back of your neck or chills run down your spine when Ms. Harris asked “was it a blue metal box? I said yes...she got quiet and we could hear her weeping. Can you bring it to me...I can pay you...just please bring it to me. Then she said...oh my goodness I don’t even know where you are and I am asking you to bring it to me. If you can’t bring it can you mail it to me? I promise I will send a reward. We will bring it to you we said. She eagerly agreed and gave us her address.

Bocca Raton FL is a long way from Honeybees, Alabama...over 1000 miles but we knew we were going and as soon as possible. As you can imagine we cut our trip short and got back home ASAP and hit the road again mask and all to Bocca, Raton. We were a little nervous but the excitement of it kept our fear at bay. It was a long drive but between the oldies and beautiful scenery, we didn’t feel a thing. Finally in the city limits we put the info in the GPS and it lead us straight to a beachfront mansion with a private enterance and security guards. The guard was expecting us and asked if we were the people with the metal box...we said yes and he keyed us in. When we got to the front door Ms. Harris was standing there to welcome us. She took us to a big room with a huge table. We all sit down and I sat the box on the table in front of her. Her hands shook as she took the letter addressed to her and began to read it. A gold wedding band fell from the letter and she began to cry. She began to tell us that in 2017 her husband and five of his friends went on their annual fishing trip and they never returned. There was a massive search for them but nothing or no one was ever found. So you see she said this is very important to me. She got up and asked us to follow her. We went around a corridor into a large office...she took the key from the box and opened a locked desk safe. In the back there was an envelope that simply said REWARD. She handed us the envelope and asked if we would excuse her but she needed to spend some time with her husband’s memories. We told her yes and gave her a hug and said goodby. When we got in the car we looked in the envelope and found twenty 1000 bills. Wow we were grateful but most of all we were proud that we were able to bring a small amount of closure to Mr. Harris’ family and for that it was priceless.