Summers at the Cape as a little girl are some of my fondest memories. I hadn’t been back in several years, but our trip there in July 2010 is one I’ll never forget.
I had talked so much about my family’s summer vacations that Kyle had promised to take me to the Cape for a visit that summer after we graduated from college. Kyle picked me up early on the 1st to make the nearly 250-mile drive from Albany. As we got closer to the shore, the memories hit me right along with the thick, salt air.
Suddenly, all I wanted to do was to run barefoot on Marconi Beach. To eat ice cream at Four Seas. And feed the seagulls stale french fries.
We had tickets that night to see Mary Chapin Carpenter at the Melody Tent in Hyannis. We were exhausted after the drive and an afternoon at the beach, but it was a great way to end an absolute perfect day.
The next two days were filled with comfortable relaxation. I enjoyed the familiarity of the sights and sounds even though I felt like I was sightseeing for the first time. Kyle fell in love with the place, as well.
Sunday was the 4th of July. While we were enjoying our last day of sightseeing, we stumbled upon a small street fair. There were face-painters, and caricature artists, food vendors, and a few performers. We lingered a while to listen to the band. Kyle pointed to a shady spot, noting that it was a perfect dance floor.
Taking me by the hand he led me there. He twirled me around a few times; the last time I turned back to him I saw that he was holding a ring.
What a lovely story. And a superb setting (I love the Cape! We were there this past summer!) Is it true or did you do a nostalgia-sweet fictional treatment?
Sam Sturgis surveyed the dance floor from across the room. He laughed inwardly as he tried to recall the last time being at a functions such as this didn't look like a Buffalo stampede. He was hard pressed for an answer. He either got roped into funerals and weddings. Funerals he could bullshit his way through. Somber looks, sad nods and a few "He looks good" or "Now, she's at peace" comments thrown in and the day is saved. But family weddings? You either have a good time, or you didn't.
Sam was having a lousy time. A distant cousin...an acquaintance at best, had invited him to the nuptials as a courtesy to her mother's request. Oh, she smiled as she thanked him for coming and said how "he looks good". Again Sam smirked. "She must be a riot at a funeral" he thought.
Sam was unattached at the moment. Without a date, he felt even more uncomfortable being there. But, obligation to his own mother's request kept him from blowing it off all together. Say hello, congratulate, a few drinks and he'd be on his way. But he made the mistake of checking out the people dancing.
It was not so much the ones on the floor that captured Sam's attention. It was the young woman sitting over at a corner table. She looked equally as bored, stirring her cocktail and making her own observations. He noticed that for someone who didn't seem to want to dance, her feet sure moved a lot. Her feet were either tapping out the beat, or doing little bits of choreography under the table. Sam approached the corner, but she got up to head for the bar. He followed her.
"Can I "buy" you a drink?" Sam asked by way of introductory conversation.
"It's wedding. The drinks are free" she said, not even looking in his direction.
Sam was perturbed by her snarky attitude and remark.
"Well excuse me," he began "you looked as bored as I feel, and right now I felt like I could use a drink!"
She shook her head and laughed. "OK big spender, I'll have a vodka and tea."
She sipped at her drink slowly as she looked Sam over.
"So... you want to dance?" she came on to Sam.
Sam gulped down his drink as she took his hand leading the way.
"Uh, the dance floor is this way?" Sam questioned.
"I know" she replied as she walked him out to seclusion of the back patio.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
ReplyDeleteSummers at the Cape as a little girl are some of my fondest memories. I hadn’t been back in several years, but our trip there in July 2010 is one I’ll never forget.
I had talked so much about my family’s summer vacations that Kyle had promised to take me to the Cape for a visit that summer after we graduated from college. Kyle picked me up early on the 1st to make the nearly 250-mile drive from Albany. As we got closer to the shore, the memories hit me right along with the thick, salt air.
Suddenly, all I wanted to do was to run barefoot on Marconi Beach. To eat ice cream at Four Seas. And feed the seagulls stale french fries.
We had tickets that night to see Mary Chapin Carpenter at the Melody Tent in Hyannis. We were exhausted after the drive and an afternoon at the beach, but it was a great way to end an absolute perfect day.
The next two days were filled with comfortable relaxation. I enjoyed the familiarity of the sights and sounds even though I felt like I was sightseeing for the first time. Kyle fell in love with the place, as well.
Sunday was the 4th of July. While we were enjoying our last day of sightseeing, we stumbled upon a small street fair. There were face-painters, and caricature artists, food vendors, and a few performers. We lingered a while to listen to the band. Kyle pointed to a shady spot, noting that it was a perfect dance floor.
Taking me by the hand he led me there. He twirled me around a few times; the last time I turned back to him I saw that he was holding a ring.
“Will you?” he asked.
What a lovely story. And a superb setting (I love the Cape! We were there this past summer!) Is it true or did you do a nostalgia-sweet fictional treatment?
DeleteWell, I did visit Cape Cod twice in my early 20s (oh, sooo long ago), but besides fact-checking a couple things online, it was purely fictional.
DeleteThanks, RJ.
SHALL WE?
ReplyDeleteSam Sturgis surveyed the dance floor from across the room. He laughed inwardly as he tried to recall the last time being at a functions such as this didn't look like a Buffalo stampede. He was hard pressed for an answer. He either got roped into funerals and weddings. Funerals he could bullshit his way through. Somber looks, sad nods and a few "He looks good" or "Now, she's at peace" comments thrown in and the day is saved. But family weddings? You either have a good time, or you didn't.
Sam was having a lousy time. A distant cousin...an acquaintance at best, had invited him to the nuptials as a courtesy to her mother's request. Oh, she smiled as she thanked him for coming and said how "he looks good".
Again Sam smirked. "She must be a riot at a funeral" he thought.
Sam was unattached at the moment. Without a date, he felt even more uncomfortable being there. But, obligation to his own mother's request kept him from blowing it off all together. Say hello, congratulate, a few drinks and he'd be on his way. But he made the mistake of checking out the people dancing.
It was not so much the ones on the floor that captured Sam's attention. It was the young woman sitting over at a corner table. She looked equally as bored, stirring her cocktail and making her own observations. He noticed that for someone who didn't seem to want to dance, her feet sure moved a lot. Her feet were either tapping out the beat, or doing little bits of choreography under the table. Sam approached the corner, but she got up to head for the bar. He followed her.
"Can I "buy" you a drink?" Sam asked by way of introductory conversation.
"It's wedding. The drinks are free" she said, not even looking in his direction.
Sam was perturbed by her snarky attitude and remark.
"Well excuse me," he began "you looked as bored as I feel, and right now I felt like I could use a drink!"
She shook her head and laughed. "OK big spender, I'll have a vodka and tea."
She sipped at her drink slowly as she looked Sam over.
"So... you want to dance?" she came on to Sam.
Sam gulped down his drink as she took his hand leading the way.
"Uh, the dance floor is this way?" Sam questioned.
"I know" she replied as she walked him out to seclusion of the back patio.