Ebb Tide Signature
The above title was first used when I wrote a short story
for a high school composition class in the early 1970’s. “Little did I know”, that
the theme and the title itself would cycle around fairly often over the past
half century. The gist of the original story took place in far southern Florida
and was about a young lad who would venture around hidden coves, islands and
beaches in his small,4th hand, battered, leaking but pretty reliable
boat along with his trusty side-kick
dog. They would have one adventure after another,
dive or catch their meals watch sun rises and sun sets, swim with dolphins, turtles
and manatees, brave surf and storms and basically lived a Huck Finn existence.
Lots and Lots of miles were clocked just walking beaches where no other humans existed;
(of course that was the whole point of each and every excursion). Sometimes the
lad would pick up cool shells for his collection and always there would be “the
search for the perfect stick” to be used in the mandatory “Signing Ceremony” of each adventure and the
claim of all the beaches, lands, terra/fauna, flotsam/jetsam within site in the name of……………. ME.
Re-con for the perfect beach would come in two forms. Inland
excursions or Full Frontal Beach assaults. In that these beaches were mostly
part of the 10,000 island chain of SW FL the paths were truly left to local knowledge.
What looks like an easy trek through inland high ground to the shore many times
can become quite another adventure when mangroves are present. Full frontal
attacks are the most dangerous as the said boat was only 9’ long, aluminum and
over powered to the tune of x3 because of some fancy engineering on the part of
the Lad. This “fancy engineering” would provide valuable future lessons (good
and not so good). I actually sat on the deck of the boat for added ballast and
the dog would do a “diCapprio” on the bow as we jumped wave after wave on our
way up and down the coast. When a
suitable beach would present itself we’d head for shore and claim it . If the tide was out, I’d go in
search of the “perfect stick” and hold
the signing ceremony while my dog watched obediently.
I’d walk up and down the beach and in and out to sign my name
in 12 foot high letters. It had to be done exactly right the 1st
time as it was critical anyone coming to “our land” knew who the heck they were
dealing with. Once satisfied I’d throw the casting net a few times to let the
dog enjoy some shiners as I readied the spinning reel and baited for dinner.
While I’d stand in the surf and cast for dinner, I’d
have visions of the future, using the signature behind me in the sand as my
visual. Would I be signing famous artworks with it ? What about BIG business
deals ? Mortages ? Marriage Licenses “ ? Birth Certificates? Report Cards ? …..I was 14, what the heck did I know….? All I knew is that one day I knew I’d be doing
something BIG, Really BIG!!
Later I’d gather wood and fronds, build a fire, cook up some
fish walk and explore some more. The sun would start slipping toward slumber in
the west and it would be time to head back because our boat had no lights. By
this time too the tide had shifted and all claims to OUR LAND were re-claimed and made null
by the creator. The dog and I looked at each other knowingly. We resigned ourselves
to the temporary nature of or sovereign reign and hopped in the boat vowing to
seek further conquests another day. .......“Big things, I tell ya – “BIG Things “
