Sunday, October 13, 2013

Ebb Tide Signature

Photo Credit - Edy Sargert                                                                                       c-2013


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 “

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