Pirate Jake
It was the summer of 2003. We needed a break from New York and a month in Florida was just what the doctor ordered. While we were staying at Patty and Gerry's house, Kathy came up with this great idea to give a treat to Jake. Her idea was to make up a treasure map and put it in a bottle and let Jake find it on the beach in front of the house. I went to a local party store and got some fake money and jewels and then went to Pier 1 and found a treasure chest. The morning we were planning on pulling this off, I got up early and took the boat to an island across from the house, figured out a path to an area on the island, and buried the treasure. Then we made the map, with directions like how many paces to the forked tree and stuff like that, burned the edges a bit, and put it in a bottle. Then we went out for a walk and Jake found the bottle on the beach. I told Jake that we thought that the shape of the island looked like the one across the Intercostal. We loaded the kids in the boat and this is what happened.
The mighty treasure hunters. From the left, Ben, Jen, Jake, Kris and Kathy. We just make landfall on Jakes Island.
You had to take the path though the mangroves.
"Come on everybody, the map says to go here."
Turn right at the forked tree and go for 20 paces.
Come to the round thing in the ground.
After a couple more directions, paces, and turns, look for the "X".
Here it is now. "X" marks the spot. Now lets start digging.
DIG!!! DIG!!! It's got to be down here somewhere.
Hey, I think we found something!
Look Jake, there's something in this plastic bag. (Thankfully, Jake never questioned that the treasure was wrapped in a plastic bag that looked just like the ones that we put the trash in at the house)
What do we have here?
Look at the treasure that was buried here for us to find.
The pirate must have come from the Orient. They found Chinese finger cuffs and the Money had a print on the back that said "Made in China".
The pirate also went through New Orleans, about Mardi Gras time. I wonder if he had to show his breasts to earn those beads?
Look at all this cool stuff.
I'm not sure I like those beads on Kris.
More stuff
Now Jen has some beads. I don't like this.
We're Rich!!!
Jake spent the next week counting and organizing, and recounting and reorganizing all the stuff that was in the chest. In Fact, now, after 4 years, he still has the chest and a bunch of the treasure.
Here is the map. You can see the trail with the forked tree and round thing and the "X". What's the point in having kids if you can't goof on them once in a while.