Have You Seen This Woman?

As you have probably figured out by now, the Admiral and I arrived home on the Left Coast early this week to spend Christmas with our family.  Still, I have been monitoring the doings of Looper friends.  I received a troubling e mail after arriving home.  The more I think about it the more I worry.  It purports to be from our friend Jan on Jolly Tolly.  It read in part…

“OK – sit down for this piece of news – I went to four (4) lights today.  Our last pump out was Bay Pointe on 11/30.  I think that is a record.  Maybe I won’t have to go to rehab now…”

Anyone who has followed this blog remembers well the story of the “Pump-Out Queen” that I posted back in August.  If not, you need to go back and read it to understand the urgency of this post.  For you see, it is impossible to believe that the real Jan wrote the above message.  Someone must be posing as her, but why?  Well, in any case, we will not be duped.

When we left St. Petersburg this past Monday, Captain Ron of Jolly Tolly gave the Admiral and me a lift to the Tampa Airport.  When we inquired as to Jan’s whereabouts, Ron seemed a bit vague. ..something about, “She’s not very good with goodbyes.”  Hmmm…that doesn’t sound like Jan.  After all, this is a lady who, when guests overstay their welcome, asks them, “Would you like me to make you a sandwich for the road?”  Very subtle, huh?

Now, I would never suspect the good Captain Ron of any skullduggery.  After all, he and Jan have been happily married for something like 37 years.  Well…anyway…they’ve been married for that long.  Still, the message is so out of character that even if it was written by Jan, it must be some kind of subliminal plea for help. 

On the other hand, maybe Ron finally had enough of pumping out the boat at every turn…and just lost it!  It would be an obvious case of temporary insanity.  Most of us captains would understand.  If I have to spend one more afternoon in a Laundromat you might get a similarly confusing note from Carrie…

Anyway, please consider this an all points alert:  If any of you have actually seen Jan in recent days, please send evidence that she is not being held hostage or that she has not had some kind of mind altering drug administered to her.  The entire Looper community should be on the lookout.  Start by checking around the pump-out stations at every marina you pass.  She can’t be too far from one.

Please help us find the real Jan!