按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
erest。
Fishback's wife long ago had given up hope and bolted for the mainland； leaving him with an unhealthy amount of solitude and free time。 He went through a stretch of hard drinking； during which he regularly neglected to shave； bathe； floss or change clothes。 He monly passed out for days on the beach； and his skin became as brown and crinkled as a walnut。 One morning； while drunkenly urinating off the old wooden bridge； Nils Fishback was approached by an impressionable young feature writer for a St。 Petersburg newspaper。 The following week； a long story appeared under a headline christening him 〃The Mayor of Toad Island。〃 Although Fishback could not recall giving the interview； or any of the wild lies he told； he embraced his colorful new title with zest。 He grew out his beard and bleached it snowy white； and took to going shirtless and barefoot and sporting bright bandannas。 Deftly； Fishback re…created himself as a crusty and reclusive defender of Nature who had settled on the island purely for its grandeur； not to make a real estate killing。 He happily posed for photographers； pretending to smooch one of the tiny striped oak toads that had given the place its name。 Fishback was always good for a wistful quote or bittersweet adage about the demise of old Florida。 For that reason he had been sought out over the years by the Washington Post； Newsweek； CNBC and the Turner networks； not to mention local media outlets。 In this manner； he had evolved into a regional celebrity eccentric。
In truth； Nils Fishback didn't give a damn what happened to Toad Island or the squirmy creatures that lived there。 The most breathtakingly beautiful sight he could imagine in all God's kingdom would be a cashier's check from Robert Clapley's pany for the sum of 510；000； which was Fishback's preposterous asking price for his seventeen orphan lots。 He would； of course； ecstatically accept half as much and be gone from Toad Island before sunset。 He feigned horror when Clapley's crew started bulldozing the toad habitat； but Nils Fishback was secretly delighted。 He had never been fond of the toads； especially during mating season when their high…pitched stridulations rang all night long in his skull。 Second； and more important； Clapley's mechanized assault on the petite amphibians was potent public…relations ammunition for the petition drive…the man was a monster； was he not？ Smushing innocent creatures by the thousands。 Fishback kept a Rolodex of media contacts； for precisely such occasions。 He would personally lead the TV crews across the old bridge and down the beach road to the site of the massacre； and show them where to set up their cameras。 The Shearwater Island pany couldn't afford such gruesome publicity！ Nils Fishback would warn Robert Clapley an hour or so in advance； giving him just enough time to call the bank and get a check cut for the escrow deposit on Fishback's property。
The only question in Fishback's mind was when to pick up the phone。 If he waited too long； the toad massacre would be over and there'd be nothing left for the TV people to film。 On the other hand； if he intervened too swiftly； the toad infestation would remain substantially undiminished； with the spring breeding season only weeks away。
Fishback stood up and dusted off the seat of his tattered cutoffs。 He jerked two beers from the cooler； one he opened； the other he tucked under an arm。 Then he ambled down the hill into the trees； where one of the big yellow bulldozers was being refueled。 Fishback handed the unopened beer to the driver and said； 〃How long you boys gonna be at it？〃
The driver grunted。 〃Years； pop。 Get used to it。〃
〃No；〃 Fishback said； 〃I mean this part here。〃 He waved a hand； as bony and gnarled as driftwood。 〃Buryin' all these damn toads。〃
The driver's gaze narrowed。 〃What're you talkin' about？〃
〃Check out your boots； jocko。 That's toad guts； if I'm not mistaken。〃
The driver stepped back； wiping his soles across the pine needles。 〃You're fuckin' nuts；〃 he said to the old man。
Fishback sighed impatiently。 〃Fine。 There's no happy hoppers around here。 Not a one。 So just tell me how long it'll take。〃
The bulldozer driver glanced appreciatively at the cold beer in his hand。 Hell； he thought； the old fart seems harmless enough。 Probably just the racket he cares about。
〃One week；〃 the driver said to Fishback。 〃That's what the work order says。〃
〃Perfect。〃 Fishback pointed into the woods。 〃There's a freshwater pond a quarter mile or so down that path。 Be a good place to dump some dirt。 I mean lotsa dirt。〃
〃Yeah？〃 The driver sounded interested。
Nils Fishback offered a conspiratorial wink。 〃Oh yeah；〃 he said。 〃We're talking Toad Central； partner。〃
5
In the week that followed； a conference mittee of the Florida Legislature agreed to appropriate 9。2 million for a neighborhood development project in southwest Miami called the Willie Vasquez…Washington munity Outreach Center。 The same mittee approved 27。7 million in transportation funds toward the design and construction of an elevated four…lane concrete bridge to replace the creaky two…lane wooden span that connected Toad Island to the mainland。 Governor Dick Artemus declared his strong support for both projects； and praised lawmakers for their 〃bipartisan mitment to progress。〃 A few days later； as the last of the oak toads were being plowed under； Nils Fishback and twenty…two other signatories of the anti…Shearwater Island petition met with Robert Clapley and his attorneys in a private dining salon at a fashionable Cuban restaurant in Ybor City。 A deal was reached in which Clapley would purchase Fishback's seventeen vacant lots for 19；000 each； which was 16；500 more than Fishback originally had paid for them。 The other Toad Island 〃protesters〃 received； and eagerly accepted； parable offers。 They were flown home on a Gulfstream jet； and the next morning Nils Fishback called a press conference at the foot of the old wooden bridge。 With a handful of local reporters present； 〃the mayor〃 announced he was terminating the petition drive because the Shearwater Island pany had 〃caved in to virtually all our demands。〃 Wielding a sheath of legal…sized papers； Fishback revealed that Robert Clapley had promised in writing to preserve the natural character of the barrier island； and had agreed to provide on…site biologists； botanists and hydrologists to supervise all phases of construction。 In addition； Clapley had endorsed an ambitious mitigation program that required replanting three acres of new trees for each acre sacrificed to development。 What Nils Fishback didn't tell the press was that Clapley legally was not pelled to revegetate Toad Island itself； and that the new trees could be put anywhere else in Florida…including faraway Putnam County； where Clapley happened to own nine hundred acres of fresh…cut timber…land that needed replanting。
The architect of the mitigation scam was none other than Palmer Stoat； who'd had a very productive week。 The governor's cronies would be getting their new bridge； Willie Vasquez…Washington would be getting his new munity center； and that impertinent tollbooth clerk in Yeehaw Junction would be getting a pink slip。 Palmer St