Gone! – Southern Pines, NC

Friday the 13th…

The phone rang this morning and before I could answer it, Mel left the frantic message on my machine.

“Bernie, your mules are gone!”

Gone? Gone! No! Oh god, that was bad way to start the 13th. Or a mule expedition for that matter…

I called her right back, still in my pajamas, and she repeated the news. “Bernie! You’re mules are gone. We’re over here at Buckin Field and can’t find them. “

She didn’t have to say “Get over here quick.” before I was into my jeans and truck.

I raced out to the farm but Mel was right.

The gate to their pasture was wide open.

Gone…

Maggie, Woody, Jack and Bill were gone.

The engines to “Captain Bernie’s Dry Dock Expedition” had just vanished.

Here’s what happened next.