Stranger Beware!

The old lady that had hitched a ride with the nice lady, Nancy, was following Grandma Lu while she shopped for a new pirate hat to wear at the Pirate Parade. She knew that she and Grandma B or Bonnie as her friends called her were good friends. She also knew that Grandma Lu would eventually lead her to Bonnie. She had been told many times that Bonnie was a direct descendant of Lady Bonita. The old woman believed that she was a descendant of  Lady Kathleen so therefore, she felt entitled to the money and land that Lady Kathleen's children and great grandchildren had accumulated over the years. She meant to have it and have it as soon as possible. What she had not counted on were the crowds in Florida for the Pirate Parade. She had to get Grandma Lu on board her friends' ship as soon as possible.  The old woman's friends were not such nice people. They too, wanted gold and priceless antiques that had at one time belonged to Lady Bonita and Lady Kathleen.

Grandma Lu was making her way through the crowds of people at the parade. This had been going on for days, but was so exciting for her. She wasn't exactly pleaseed with all of the pushing and shoving when she got closer to the floats. They were all pirate ships. She loved it! She actually got pushed back to the curb by a bunch of party goers. "Well, land's sakes. I never have been treated so shabbily", she muttered. "I do think that older people deserve more respect than this. Maybe this isn't the place for me after all. Well I have seen some of it, but I spent more time shopping than at the parade. All in all I think it's probably time for me to go home."

The old woman bumped into Grandma Lu on purpose and smiled at her. She said, "I agree with you one hundered percent. I bought my pirate hat at the same shop that you got yours. Did you happen to see me there?"

Grandma Lu shook her head, and said, "There are so many folks down here, that I haven't really paid much attention to things I normally do. But it's nice to meet you. I like your hat," she grinned.

 I have some rich friends that know just how to treat us older ladies. You aren't going to believe this, but they own their own pirate ship. That's where I am going to go now. They said that I could bring some guests. Would you like to see the inside of a pirate ship? It's pretty fancy inside. They have collected all kinds of things over the years and decorated their ship with their purchases.

Grandma Lu thought it over. She knew better than to go anywhere with strangers. That was a hard fast rule that she taught her children and all the children at Marleewood. But it was so tempting. She wasn't being treated very nicely down here. Maybe she would go. The woman was being so nice to her after all; what could it hurt? She had even said that they had a movie theater on the ship. They were going to show the Pirates of the Caribbean with Johnny Depp. "Oh, that would be so much fun. My husband doesn't like that kind of movie."

Just as Grandma Lu started to go with her new friend the ladies heard a loud growl. The mean old lady screamed; grabbed her ankle and shook her fists at the big dog. Grandma Lu ran the opposite direction. She looked back to see the dog chasing the old woman down the street. She had been saved by the dog that was afraid to swim at the motel! He was a hero! And right then she realized that she had almost made a terrible mistake. A mistake that she had taught many children not to make: stranger beware! Never go anywhere with a stranger even if you are a grownup.