Celebrating St. Patrick's Day at Straightaway's
By Janet Brayden
It was late February and, all across the country, stores were taking down valentine's and related decorations and replacing them with St. Patrick's Day cards and decorations as well as silly gifts and hats.
Stores such as The Irish Cottage were selling leprechaun figurines and Irish music tapes - audio and video - by the dozen to folks who had family, or friends, with St. Patrick's Day birthdays - even anniversaries. Some customers were planning parties.
In King Harbor, California the Riptide Detective agency was having lunch at their favorite restaurant. The owner, Straightaway as he was known, was fretting because he didn't have a show to entertain his patrons. As a result business was a little slow.
Cody Allen was the first to notice. "What's the matter, Straightaway?"
"I'm trying to find an act for a month or so," the darked haired restaurant owner told them. "Something different."
"Like what?" Nick Ryder asked.
"I don't know. Just different. No comedians. A musical act maybe."
"Why not do something for St. Patrick's Day?" suggested Murray Bozinsky. "It's only a few weeks away."
"You mean serve green beer and stuff?" Straightaway was put off at that thought. He felt that he ran a classy place and that was not classy.
"Not necessarily," Cody said, "but I have to admit that folks do tend to get a silly at St. Patrick's Day."
"You know, it's too bad Cayce's not here," Murray said. "She's really good at planning stuff like this. Look at how involved she got in the concerts at the VA hospitals - and the Christmas show she and her uncle put on for the troops at Fort Irwin."
As they were speaking twenty-five year old Cayce McKenna walked into the restaurant.
"Hi guys!"
"Cayce! What a surprise!" Cody said as he rose to greet her. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"
Cayce returned his hug and those of Nick and Murray enthusiastically. Cody and Nick had served under her Uncle Brian McKenna when they were in the MPs. She'd met Murray a little over year ago. Now they were brothers and sister.
""Cayce! Mi bella signorina!" Straightaway lifted her right hand to his lips and kissed it, causing her to giggle as it always did. He held the chair for her while she seated herself at the table with her "brothers".
"What brings you to King Harbor?" the blond asked his young friend.
"Business. I was meeting with some of the people at Colony, Rdd Wing and a couple of the independent production companies about buying and leasing some livestock," she explained.
Recently the detectives had solved a case for Craig Malone, who was a top executive at Colony Studios. Cayce, who had been visiting the movie location, had saved the leading lady from harm by stopping her runaway horse. Hearing of the "accidents" that had been plaguing Malone's movie she had recommended the Riptide Detective Agency as the people to look into what was going on. She, herself, had temporarily taken the job as livestock manager. Taking advantage of her business connections she had helped turn a so-so movie into a popular one by advising Malone on changes he needed to make. Among those changes had been historically accurate costumes and horses.
"Thoroughbreds are not cow ponies," she had stated emphatically. She then made arrangements with area stables and ranches to make temporary trades. She'd also sold the manure from the stable to local gardeners and farmers for fertilizer. The studio had made money in more ways than one. The studio heads had kept some of her changes in place and,, on occasion, turned to her for livestock or advice. The money they paid her allowed her to work on improving her own livestock and grounds.
"I had to pass through King Harbor and it was almost lunch time so I thought I'd head for my favorite restaurant here."
"It's on the house," Straightaway told her. I owe you for the wrap party you talked Malone into having here." He sighed,"Too bad business can't be that good all the time."
Cayce set the glass of root beer she'd been given down on the table and looked up at the dark haired Italian restaurateur.
"What's the matter, Straightaway? Is business slacking off?"
"He's trying to find a way to boost business for a while," Nick explained. "Things have been quiet for the last couple of weeks since Valentine's Day."
"That's true," she agreed. "A lot of businesses go through a little bit of a slow down between Valentine's Day and Easter. Her green eyes danced with merriment. "Of course you could always serve green beer at St. Patrick's Day."
"Green beer?" the men were shocked that she would suggest it until they noticed the gleam in her eyes that told them she was kidding.
"Ok. Ok." She laughed, "No green beer." She shook her head and nudged the member of the group that had attended school in Massachusetts. "I guess Liam's Irish Tavern hasn't got anything to worry about here."
Murray giggled with her for, though he'd been too young to drink at the time, he'd heard many of his schoolmates at MIT talk about the restaurant in suburban Framingham and the good times they'd had there.
"I run a classy place, young lady," Straightaway scolded her.
"I'm sorry, Straightaway," she told him contritely. "I just couldn't help myself."
A waitress appeared just then with a cheeseburger and fries for Cayce. Straightaway knew exactly how she liked them and since it was lunch time he'd had one made for her.
"Cayce, do you think you can help us out here?" Nick asked. "Got any ideas for what Straightaway can do to drum up some business?"
"Well, St. Patrick's Day is a high holy day in Ireland," she said. "However, here in the states we tend to make it an excuse to party hearty. Radio stations will be playing Irish music but only three or four songs over the course of the day, I'm sure."
She sat there, deep in though while she munched her burger. Later on Nick would comment that they could just about see the wheels turning in her head.
"Well, how about a night of Irish entertainment for the family?" she finally spoke.
"Like what?" Straightaway asked.
"Music, dancing - step dancing exhibition that is, decorations. Things like green streamers,an Irish flag, leprechauns, shamrocks." She smiled at him, "And all it will cost you is the decorations."
Cody and Nick exchanged looks and started laughing. Murray started giggling. Straightaway looked at them curiously. Cayce looked indignant at their reaction.
"What's so funny?" the restaurant owner asked.
"Straightaway, my friend, prepare for an invasion of the McKenna clan," Cody told him.
Straighaway's echoed with the sound of laugher, music and feet as Cayce, the Riptide detectives and members of the extended McKenna clan worked to bring a bit of the Emerald Isle to the harbor side restaurant.
Cayce's cousins Josh McKenna, Kathleen, Kevin and Kelly Duggan as well as Kerry, Thomas and Scott Murphy were tacking up streamers while the older detectives were putting together a platform for the step dancing demo and the singers. Murray had been placed in charge of the electronics and sound system since he was far and away the expert among them. He was, by virtue of his height, also drafted to help with the decorations as the girls - except for Cayce who was almost six feet tall - were all rather short in stature.
Every time somebody on a ladder dropped streamers it was the detectives who wound up covered in green and white. Murray stood beneath one of them and constantly had somebody's roll of crepe paper streamers bouncing off his head.
There was a general hubbub of voices and hammering. Messengers arrived with music. Musicians wanted to rehearse so that they knew the acoustics of the building.
Wait staff and busboys hustled about putting green plaid tablecloths out as well as napkins. Each table was adorned with a white vase containing a pair of spicy smelling green carnations and a tri-colored Irish flat or a green vase with white carnations and a small replica of the old green flag with the gold harp on it.
For the children who would attend there were small leprechaun figurines of molded plastic and small pots of gold - actually gold foil wrapped chocolate coins. Adults would be offered green top hats of cardboard or green bowlers made of plastic.
"Cayce, have you seen my sheet music? I put it down on this table and now I can't find it."
"Hey! We need a place to practice." An accordion player yelled. "It's too noisy in here!"
"How do the decorations look?" somebody else asked.
"Josh! Stop fooling around," Robin scolded. "We have a lot of work to do."
Josh had knocked over a couple of boxes of decorations which were scattered from one side of the room to the other - including under tables and chairs. Cayce was getting a little steamed.
"Josh, knock it off," Cayce scolded as Nick and Cody looked over to where they had last seen Josh.
"Josh - you'd better knock if off before she really gets mad," Cody told him.
"You, of all people, know what she's like, kid," Nick said. "You'd better be careful!"
There was no need for the two men to take physical action, necessarily, but they took a couple of steps toward the younger man while Straightaway look on, decidedly nervous, as his banquet room was being transformed. They were saved, as it were, by the arrival of a tall man, dressed in the uniform of a colonel in the United States Army, that brought order to the scene.
"Joshua Barnett McKenna!" he roared. "Pick up those things you knocked over and quit teasing Robin!"
Josh froze in the act of tossing streamers around. Only a very few people ever called him by his full name, and only one with that particular tone of authority in his voice. It made him feel like a child - or a raw recruit.
"Uncle Brian," he said weakly as Robin grabbed the streamers from him.
Looking around at the chaos in the room McKenna shook his head. His former ward, and youngest niece, came up and wrapped her arms around him to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
"Uncle Brian! I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed happily. "When did you get back?"
"I got in a couple of hours ago. I called the ranch and Josefina told me you were down here. Something about a party."
"Not a party, Uncle Brian," Cayce corrected him.
The Riptide detectives joined them at this point.
"Colonel McKenna," Cody smiled broadly, "it's good to see you, sir."
"Likewise, Lieutenant Allen." Brian McKenna returned the smile with one of his own and a firm handshake as well.
"Colonel McKenna," Nick shook hands with his former CO and then Murray had his turn.
"I see chaos reigns where my nephew shows his face," the colonel said. "Just what is going on here?"
"We're helping Straightaway drum up some business by doing a St. Patrick's Day show," Cayce explained.
"Cayce's right, Colonel," Cody said. "Nick and I are putting a platform together, Murray's handing the electronics and and helping the others do the decorating."
"I assume my darling niece talked you men into this," Brian grinned.
"Yes, sir," Cody grinned back. "But it's for a good cause."
"Uncle Brian, this is Straightaway. He owns this restaurant and he's a very good friend."
Turning to the restaurant she said, "Straightaway, this is my uncle, Colonel Brian McKenna of the United States Army. He raised me after my folks died."
"It's a pleasure to meet you sir," Straightaway said, hold out his right hand.
"My pleasure as well and you have my apologies, sir, for my nephew's behavior." Looking at the now sober Josh he added, "And I'm sure Josh wants to apologize for his rambunctious behavior as well."
"Sorry Straightaway," Josh mumbled.
"Apology accepted," was the reply.
Shaking his head, Colonel McKenna said,"I don't know what's with that boy. sometimes I think my brother's child was stolen by fairies who followed our ancestors from Ireland and replaced him with a pooka. No McKenna was ever that much of a troublemaker."
"A pooka?" Nick asked.
"In Irish legend a pooka is a changeling," Cayce explained. "The only problem with Uncle Brian's theory is that pookas are supposed to be ugly I hate to admit it but Josh is anything but."
"Like I said," Brian spoke again, "no child belonging to a McKenna could ever be a real troublemaker - isn't that right, Joshua?"
"Yes, sir. Sorry." Josh, duly chastened for his nonsense, went back to his task of helping to hang streamers and cardboard cut outs.
With Brian McKenna around to oversee - and keep a lid on his nephew's mischief - the decorating was finished in no time at all. The group then retreated to the main part of the restaurant to have dinner and discuss the order of the program.
Brian McKenna, who had a pleasant baritone voice, would sing "Danny Boy". They all agreed that he was the right choice. The actual title was Londonderry Air but hardly anybody knew it as such. Cody suggested that they put both titles on the program so people would know it was the same song.
Josh was given The Minstrel Boy while Cayce would sing two songs from Finian's Rainbow - "Look to the Rainbow" and "How Are Things In Glockamorra?"
Kathleen, Kerry, Scott and Thomas would do the step dancing since they belonged to a group that performed at all the local fairs and such.
Kevin, Kelly Scott and Josh would do a few Irish Rovers songs. Josh and Scott played guitar quite well and Kelly played the accordion. All of them sang quite well and were huge Irish Rovers fans.
A conference was held, with Straightaway's cooks, in regard to offering some special dishes. Corned beef and cabbage because it was expected by Americans but also lamb with mint jelly, brown trout, grilled salmon with fennel and a few others.
"Good thing the fish market is close by," Nick joked. "It'd take forever to catch all this."
"Quiet you," Cayce told him with an elbow to his ribs, "Or I'll take me shillelagh to your head!"
"A what?" he asked.
"She's talking about a nice stout club," Brian told him. "You'd better be holding your whist or she'll find a way to follow through."
Involuntarily, Nick moved back a couple of steps so that Cody was in front of him. This did not go unnoticed by either Cody or Brian McKenna but they let it pass. Some day Nick might learn not to give Cayce a hard time as much as he did.
"What this show needs is something special," Cayce said. "Something that will really grab people's attention and bring the customers in off the street. Something that no American restaurant would be likely to have."
Kelly, who had been quiet up to this point, spoke up now, "A seanchai! A seanchai would make it perfect!"
"That's a great idea, Kel," his uncle said, "but where could we get one on such short notice?"
"There's a seanchai visiting the campus at Fisher right now. He's teaching a class on Irish literature in the adult ed classes." Kelly was all fired up about it. His blue eyes sparkled. "I'm sure he'd be glad to have another audience to entertain. I'll talk to him tomorrow."
"What's a shanakey?" Murray asked.
"A seanchai - that's spelled s-e-a-n-c-h-a-i - is an Irish storyteller," Brian explained. "They relate the stories of Irish history and superstition and such orally. Some of them are quite good."
"Who's going to pay for all this?" Straightaway wanted to know. "You're going to drain my bank account with all these plans."
"Now Straightaway," Cayce scolded. "Didn't I already tell you it's not going to cost you anything but the decorations?"
"Yes, you did," the man replied.
"Then stop worrying. We've got it all under control."
Arrangements were quickly made, by Kelly, for the visiting seanchai to do some storytelling at Straighaway's on St. Patrick's Day evening. Murray went with Cayce to the local printer to get fliers printed up. The whole group covered King Harbor passing out fliers and posting them in the various businesses that would allow it. Nick and Cody tried to board The Barefoot Contessa only Mama Jo wouldn't let them. She did, however, take a few fliers so that the girls could read them and attend if they weren't on a cruise somewhere.
St. Patrick's Day evening found Straighaway's packed with customers that were looking forward to the evening's entertainment. Everybody wore what they thought was appropriate for the occasion, meaning that there was a lot of Kelly green, emerald green and even some orange to be seen.
"What's with the orange?" Nick asked. "I thought St. Patrick's Day was all about wearing green."
"Orange represents William of Orange who conquered Ireland centuries ago. He was a Protestant. Ireland was, up until then, mostly Catholic. Orangemen wear orange but some folks wear it just to wear the colors of the flag which is green, white and orange - like the one we hung up over on the wall," Cayce explained. "That's why I'm wearing orange beads."
She made her way over to the side of the stage where she would make her entrance. Her little "band of brothers" found a seat near the front where they could see, and enjoy, everything. The trio was wearing pins that said they were Honorary Irishmen. Murray wore his proudly. The other two rather reluctantly although Nick had to admit it wasn't as bad as the elf hats they'd had to wear at the Christmas program for the troops at Fort Irwin a few months ago.
The show kicked off when the announcer was heard to call Brian McKenna to the front to start things off. The colonel came out wearing a pair of white pants with an emerald green shirt and a white tie. He wore a leprechaun tie clasp that Cayce had bought him some years earlier.
The banquet room became quiet as Brian came out with a microphone.
"Good evening and welcome to our St. Patrick's Day celebration at Straighaway's," he said. "We hope to entertain you but we're going to try to educate you as well."
Looking around he saw a lot of green and some orange. With a grin he told the audience, "Those of you who are wearing green are 'cursing' Ireland you know. A lot of Irish consider green to be an unlucky color to wear. And as for the orange - a Protestant who dares to wear orange in Catholic Ireland's territory is just asking for trouble. The national, or official color if you will, of Ireland is actually blue."
"Leprechauns, in the old country are no taller than a young lad and there are no female leprechauns."
Looking around he spotted something that made him grin - a St. Patrick's Day button that somebody was wearing and it wasn't the traditional Kiss Me I'm Irish pin.
"Cayce? Come here a moment would you?" He called for his niece to take a look. "I've finally found a button that you don't have. Take a look at what this gentleman is wearing. Stand up for a moment would you sir?"
The man, about forty with sandy hair and blue eyes did as the colonel requested. Cayce approached him and read the button out loud so everybody knew what it said.
"'Official Leprechaun Translator. I Know the Elfabet.'" She laughed, "I love it! Where did you get it. I have one that says World's Tallest Leprechaun."
The man told her the name of the store and she informed her uncle that he would have to get her one of them and then they could trade. Everybody in the audience - especially the Riptide Detectives who were so well acquainted with this family - got a big kick out of it.
"I'll bet it doesn't take more than a day for one of them to get to that shop and get the button," Cody said to his partners with a grin.
"No bet. It's a sure thing," Nick replied. "We're talking about the pair that wear pins that say 'I'm Irish Eat Your Heart Out' and harass us about it."
"On with the show," Brian said. "An old Irish saying for you to start us off before four of my nephews doing an Irish Rovers set. You're all invited to sing along with the last song." Clearing his throat he spoke these words which brought gales of laughter from the audience, "There's many a dry eye at a moneylender's funeral."
Everyone laughed.
A moment later, the quartet of cousins - two on guitar, one on accordion and on with a drum - were singing. All wore green sweaters and pants. Scott wore a green tam o'shanter on his head. There was a lively introduction and then the fun began. The group sang several Irish Rovers songs but, then, launched into everyone's favorite. Ironically, it was a Jewish man who had written it but nobody else knew. If they did they didn't care.
A long time ago, when the Earth was green
There was more kinds of animals than you've ever seen
They'd run around free while the Earth was being born
And the loveliest of all was the unicorn
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
The loveliest of all was the unicorn
The Lord seen some sinning and it gave Him pain
And He says, "Stand back, I'm going to make it rain"
He says, "Hey Noah, I'll tell you what to do
Build me a floating zoo,
and take some of those...
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
Don't you forget My unicorns
Old Noah was there to answer the call
He finished up making the ark just as the rain started to fall
He marched the animals two by two
And he called out as they came through
Hey Lord,
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but Lord, I'm so forlorn
I just can't find no unicorns"
And Noah looked out through the driving rain
Them unicorns were hiding, playing silly games
Kicking and splashing while the rain was falling
Oh, them silly unicorns
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Noah cried, "Close the door because the rain is falling
And we just can't wait for no unicorns"
The ark started moving, it drifted with the tide
The unicorns looked up from the rocks and they cried
And the waters came down and sort of floated them away
That's why you never see unicorns to this very day
You'll see green alligators and long-necked geese
Some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees
Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you're born
You're never gonna see no unicorns
From where the McKennas, uncle and niece, were standing they could see Murray really enjoying himself while his partners tried, rather unsuccessfully, to not get too involved. It was a lost cause for everyone loved The Unicorn Song.
"We're going to have a little trivia contest, here," Brian McKenna said when the boys were through. Ever since my niece told me about this event they were planning I decided to get a couple of prizes and put together a St. Patrick's Day trivia quiz for whoever came in. While the dancers get ready for their act I'm going to ask you some questions. The two people who get the most right answers, out of the fifty questions I have chosen, will win gift certificates to Straightaway's."
He unfolded several sheets of paper and started reading. Cayce had a pad of paper and a pencil. She recorded the patron's name each time someone got a right answer. Then she added tote marks for each additional question they answered correctly.
"What is the leprechaun's legendary profession?"
"Banker," called out a young man in the back of the room.
"Tour guide," Nick yelled with an impish grin.
"Tailor and cobbler," answered an obviously Irish man in his fifties.
"Right you are, sir," McKenna said as Cayce made note of the man's answer.
"They're making this whole thing a big hit," Cody commented.
"I think it's very boss and bodacious," Murray said. "The trivia contest was a stroke of genius that only a senior officer could come up with."
Murray couldn't resist getting a dig in at his friends who were junior in rank to him even though he was now retired. They glared at him but he just giggled that famous Bozinsky giggle and turned his attention back to Colonel McKenna.
"What famous actor was born in Mexico in 1915 to a Mexican mother and an Irish father?"
"Anthony Quinn!" Cody knew the answer to that one.
"Correct. Here's a tough one for you. We all know that St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland but who is the third patron saint of Ireland?"
Everyone in the audience, including the man who had answered the first question correctly, scratched their heads.
"Give up? It's St. Cuchulainn."
The contest went on for a few more minutes, with a lot of give and take between the McKennas and the audience, before Colonel McKenna ended it with, "What does kissing the Blarney Stone reputedly bestow?"
Nick and Cody looked at each other incredulously.
"People kiss a rock?" Cody whispered.
"That's easy," the man in the back of the room answered. "It's the gift of gab."
"Right you are, sir," Brian grinned. "I think my niece must have kissed it more than once when we were there a few years ago. How else could she have talked her family - including me - into doing this show?"
"We have our winners," Cayce announced, completely ignoring her uncle's teasing. "The gentleman in the back of the room that just answered the last question got all fifty questions correctly and this lady - the one with the green plaid skirt and jacket - got forty of them. Good job folks. Let's give them a hand."
The room full of diners dutifully clapped and then started chatting with each other about the contest. A moment later the four cousins came out to do their step dancing demonstrations. When they were through they got a huge round of applause for the beauty, grace and precision of their performance.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen," Cayce took over the announcing duties now, "Colonel Brian McKenna, United States Army, will sing for you a song you probably all know by it's popular title - Danny Boy. It's actual title is Londonderry Air."
The audience hushed in anticipation and they weren't disappointed as the opening notes were heard. Brian's pleasant baritone could be heard throughout the room as he sang.
Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying 'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide. But come ye back when summer's in the meadow Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow 'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so. And if you come, when all the flowers are dying And I am dead, as dead I well may be You'll come and find the place where I am lying And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me. And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
There was a loud round of applause as he finished for Brian had been blessed with a nice voice and was adept at putting the emotion into the peace that was so important to certain music such as this song.
Cody leaned over to whisper to Nick, "It still amazes me to hear the colonel sing like that. He's really good!"
"I gues it's like he said at Christmas - he didn't have much reason for singing when we were serving under him."
Next up was his niece. Cayce put in a fine performance, with her two numbers, and started off by quoting Finian's "prophecy" - "You'll never grow old, and you'll never be poor, if you look to the rainbow beyond the next moor." Murray had found a way to project scenery of Ireland complete with a rainbow. A very "boss and bodacious" piece of work he said. Nobody disagreed for it was just the right touch.
The restaurant staff was kept running as more customers came in for the special event. Straightaway had to prevail upon the owner of the fish market to stay open later than usual, so many customers were ordering trout and salmon. It was a good deal for both of them.
Straightaway couldn't have been happier. He alternated between the main dining room and the banquet room keeping an eye on things. He was happy to see that the Riptide detectives were quietly escorting the overly rowdy customers out. So far so good. If only the rest of the night could be as peaceful.
Professor Shaun O'Casey, the seanchai, entertained the diners with stories of Irish folklore and history for over two hours. Nobody wanted to leave. Diners simply ordered more coffee, tea and other drinks and scarcely a sound was heard as the lilting brogue of the professor was heard.
Finally, around midnight, it was time for the show to break up. Families with small children had already left but there were still a lot of people left. The McKennas all had commitments in the morning. Most of Cayce's cousins had to get back to school or to their regular jobs. Cayce needed to get back to the ranch to take care of some training sessions and her 4-H club meeting. Brian was on leave and would go back to Sunny Acres with her as was his custom when he had enough time.
"As we close this program," he said, "I'd like to leave you all with this traditional blessing: Wishing you a rainbow for sunlight after showers. Miles and miles of Irish smiles for happy golden hours. Shamrocks at your doorway for luck and laughter too and a host of friends that never ends each day your whole life through."
With that the crowd broke up and filtered out of the banquet room and the restaurant.
"Cayce!" Straighaway's face was beaming. "It was wonderful! We haven't done so well in a single night in a very long time."
"I told you it would work out," she reminded him. "If we had the time we'd do this more than one night but we all have to get back to work - or school."
"Any time you people are in town," the restaurant owner told them, "you have a free meal coming to you."
The McKennas, their relatives and the detectives left Straightaway's and went to the Riptide to unwind for a bit. Upon arrival all took seats in the main salon. It was a little crowded but nobody minded.
"Colonel," Nick said, "I was wondering about that Blarney Stone."
"What do you want to know?"
"Do people really believe that kissing it makes them good talkers?"
"They do and they have to put forth quite an effort to do so."
"How's that, Colonel?" Cody asked, taking a sip from his coffee mug.
"Well, the Blarney Stone is part of Blarney Castle. To get to the stone you have to lie on your back, with someone holding your ankles, kiss the stone and have your friends help you back."
"It's quite a sight," Cayce chuckled. "I've been there with Uncle Brian and some friends several times. The tourists stand in line for hours for the opportunity - no matter what the weather."
"Have you ever done it?" Nick wanted to know.
"Me? Why would I want to kiss the Blarney Stone."
"That answer your question, Nick?" Cody asked. "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."
"I'll admit to once," his "sister" said. "But only once and if Uncle Brian says anything I'll tell you how many times he's kissed it. And that goes double for you, Joshua!"
Josh closed his mouth very quickly.
"What's it like over there?" Murray asked.
"It's very green," Brian told him. "There are some stone towers still standing, a few castles. The people in some parts of the country are farmers. Those near the coast are fishermen. There are those known for knitting beautiful fishermen's sweaters as well as tams and scarves. Others work in the glass making crystal. Some raise horses - mainly Connemara Ponies."
"What about in the cities?" Nick asked.
"The same as they do everywhere. They own bars, restaurants, gift shops, clothing stores. " Brian took a sip of his own coffee. "They work in banks and hospitals. Unfortunately there's still a lot of fighting in Northern Ireland because the IRA - the Irish Republican Army - keeps stirring things up."
"While I don't blame them for wanting their freedom back - they weren't always part of the United Kingdom, you know. Ireland was once an independent country as were Scotland and Wales. The English were rather arrogant about moving in and taking over and putting families off of farms and out of villages they'd lived in for centuries."
He looked at his watch and said, "It's really getting late. Cayce and I have to leave rather early in the morning. I promised to attend her 4-H club meeting tomorrow afternoon and see how the children are progressing. The meetings will be ending in a couple of months and then they will be starting to make the rounds of the fairs and horse shows during the summer."
Shaking hands with the three detectives he said, "It's been a pleasure seeing you men again. We'll have to get together again soon. Maybe Lieutenant Allen could take me out in the Ebbtide to do some water skiing?"
"You got it, sir," Cody said with a smile.
The group said good-night and headed for their respective vehicles. All except Cayce and Brian for they had reserved rooms at Straightaway's for the night and would leave early in the morning.
"I had a great time," Boz said. "Did you think it was a boss and bodacious time?"
"It sure was, Murray," Nick agreed. "It sure was - even if we did have to wear these silly pins."
"Oh, that's no the worst of it," Cody told him. "Cayce told me she left something for us to wear tomorrow - on St. Patrick's Day itself."
"I'm afraid to ask," Nick said.
Opening up the cards they found next to the one dozen green carnations that had been delivered, the three men found leprechaun pins. The note written inside the cards said, "You didn't think you'd get away without a leprechaun making an appearance did you? Uncle Brian and I bought these a month ago and had the leprechauns deliver them for us. Hope they left the Riptide in one piece - you never know what they're gonna do! Love, Cayce & Regards from Col. McKenna.
"They're cute!" Murray exclaimed. "I'm gonna make sure to wear mine tomorrow.
"Real cute!" Nick groaned.
"Better wear it, Nick," Cody told his buddy. "She always knows when you don't abide by her wishes."
As the McKennas reached the top of the ramp from the pier to the parking lot they could be heard laughing. Once again they had put one over on the mighty Riptide detectives. They knew it, the detectives knew it and soon everyone at Pier 56 would know it.
"Happy St. Patrick's Day!" they called back.