island time!

A day on Monhegan Island for a city boy who quite likes the natural world.

Who can easily shift between being a rascal and peaceful watching.

*~** ~ **~*

In 24 hours, he got up early, took a ferry ride, 

had a time at the wheel because of a very kind ferry captain,

met a friend right away on the island (kids are like that).

Went hiking out to the cliffs

and climbing on the rocks.

Ate lunch at an island cook-out and then

rested by the pond.

Where he discovered that scaring minnows was ok, 

even when scaring ducks drew frowns.

(Nainai* thought a lot about that and why she felt that way.)

Played games by the oceanside with his Nainai

while his mom and dad rested in the sun.

Discovered a trick of dimension 

that made the rocks and rockweed look like they

were breathing as the gentle waves moved over and retreated.

Pretended his arm was a lobster to figure out how the traps worked.

Took another hike with his new friend and his family,

then ate dinner at their table instead of at

the one his family was sharing with others.

Later, had a wicked good time with two boys and a water pistol,

until somebody did something, somebody started crying,

and a grown up stranger was bent out of shape for having been squirted in the fray.

Bravely got up the courage to apologize to this grownup

at his mom's insistence.  That was HARD, very hard--

but he did it. 

Watched the sun set from the island shore,

then hiked back to town on the rocks again as it was getting dark.

Slept in the same simple room as his Nainai,

with only an oil lamp and a flashlight for seeing.

And a shared bathroom at the top of the stairs.

Book reading, story telling, shadow puppets on the wall.

"Scaring" the grownups who were quietly sitting on the porch

in his glow-in-the-dark skeleton black shirt.

Gulls and buoys sounding outside, and a star splashed sky out the window.

Finally going to sleep.  SO, so deeply.

Waking up the next day to damp air and drizzle.

Eating a huge breakfast while swapping jokes

with the others at the table.

Watching the sky open up just after the meal

and learning of the decision to go home early on

the morning ferry.

Talking about what he was going to do and see 'next year'

when he comes to the island again.

...Thereby fulfilling a Nainai's dream.

*Nainai--"grandma" in Mandarin Chinese