A HAPPY ENDING

January 1999 Table of Contents - Current Issue of The Abaco Journal - Abaco Bahamas' Home Page

A HAPPY ENDING

In late October 1997, Tommy and Erica Asselin and their two children opened up a packing case for customs at the Marsh Harbour dock, then travelled to Sandy Point where they live. A few weeks later, Erica realised a framed painting was missing. The painting had been done by her mother, who has since passed on, and was very precious to Erica. She could remember seeing it at the customs warehouse as it was among the items removed from the packing case. The customs officers looked but could see no sign of the painting.

The reason was, the painting was in Hope Town. It had obviously been placed on top of Vernon's Grocery Store supplies, for when Mr Vernon Malone went to the dock to collect his shipment, the painting was sitting on top. Mr Malone posted the picture in his shop with a notice for whoever it belonged to to claim it, and also made announcements over VHF radio. Months went by and Vernon gave the picture to Mrs Leslie Mead for safe custody as it was taking up valuable space in his shop.

Down at Sandy Point, the Asselins were well out of range of ship to shore transmissions. It was after Easter in 1998 that Erica wrote to the Abaco Journal and the Abaconian, telling the story of the missing painting and asking for any information on its whereabouts. There was instant response and Leslie Mead was able to inform the Abaco Journal from Wyoming that the painting was safe and sound in Hope Town.

On 14th November, the Asselins travelled to Hope Town and were met at the dock by Vernon Malone and Leslie Mead. Erica was re-united with her mother's painting, which depicts a cabin in a snowy Canadian winter landscape. "It may look like a very ordinary painting to most people," said Erica, "but it means a great deal to me.

"Thank you to Vernon Malone for saving my precious painting from wind and sea: to Leslie Mead for providing 'safe anchorage' until I learned of its whereabouts; to the customs officers at Marsh Harbour dock who helped us search, and kept an ear to the ground for the painting after we carelessly left it atop Mr Malone's grocery palette; to the good Lord above who saw the painting safely from the Marsh Harbour dock to the Hope Town dock - sitting loose atop a palette - moved by fork lift on and off boats - with even the glass intact - and returned it to my loving care."

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