Blue Crabs, Right Hooks and Real Peace
August 3, 2006
Crabs in the water.
For real.
I looked through the green-tinted water and thought that my eyes were fooling me. A blue crab was peeking through the murkiness. He was of a good size and could be part of my dinner like the fish I caught this morning off my hired fishing boat and he knew it too. Crabby nipped at my toes and I yelped, reminded of my anti-natural credo.
I don't do natural water.
Being in no- air condition land, I have violated that several times in a single day. Its over 100 degrees and the only place where its not sweltering is on the water or at the beach and so I find myself at the Inkwell with all the other black people. There's an atmosphere here not found at State Beach or South Beach. Yes, its rocky at the water's edge, but its the only beach where it sounds like a party, the only beach where the music is just loud enough where you can't help but nod your head. Once you get over the rocks the sand is soft and the water is still enough where you can sit in chest high water and chat with a neighbor. A game of water football is happening nearby and I don't even care if they splash my beach makeup..
I'm sitting across from this guy I met in Lola's the other night, only today he ain't so friendly. Looks like he' s with wifey and friends and she sure looks like a man-eater. I couldn't resist it when I sat down, I assessed the situation and waved at him just to mess with him.
It was hot yesterday too and I gladly spent all day at South Beach with its high winds that cooled and wild, icy surf. I stayed so long that my sister demanded to know who I was and what had been done with the real Nina Foxx. It was so hot that go-against-the-grain-don't do nature-or natural-water me was driven like a lemming to the edge of the land along with everyone else. And you know what else? I didn't pass go or collect two hundred dollars when I got there either, I just dove right into the Atlantic without blinking an eye. I stayed there until my body was sufficiently cool enough to turn to my sister and ask her, “Please tell me I don't look like that in this bathing suit.” She declined to comment but I love her anyway.
Lola's. I mentioned Lola's. They said it was the place to go on the island, so I went there on Sunday night. We waltzed in and at first glance, the place looked empty. We slid onto a bar stool at the bar with the best looked bartender, Hans. All of nineteen years old or so and fine, with an apple-pie kind of smile. We might as well enjoy the scenery. Hans mixed a mean martini and didn't blush or blink an eye at all the old women making lewd and lascivious comments.
My sister picks up strange people, they glom onto her like flies to honey. She has this talent for making everyone feel ultra-comfortable. Before I knew what was happening, she was talking to this couple at the bar. Turned out that own a charter sailboat and were staying on their boat out in Oak Bluffs Harbor. They turned into pumpkin at about midnight because they had to catch the last water taxi back to their boat. They were speed drinkin to make up for the lack of time, and in one drink, I knew all about them and their business and their love. She was fifteen years older than he and they'd met for the first time when he was eight years old, a long time ago.
Two spouses ago.
He said they were looking for a ghost writer to tell their story and she danced with my sister/mom and then came back and told me that my sister was hot in in ooh, la la kind of way. That's when I met the guy on the beach and he was a little funny and probably more than a little drunk.
It was fishing day the next day. My family wanted to go fishing on a Boat. Considering my history with nature,you understand how nervous I was. We were charged with catching our dinner and I was hungry, so I went anyway. I was hoping there was someone off the side of the boat, in the water that would put the fish on your hook and then I was going to need a fish valet. You heard of those right? That's the person on the boat who puts the bait on the hook and then takes off the fish. Turns out none of these were present, and the bait wasn't the live worms I pictured, but it was squid/calamari/sushi and my brother unhooked the fish for me. I kept catching little baby fishes that were too small so I threw them back to their mamas. My daughter was thrilled to catch her own and halfway through the trip I realized that I had certainly made my peace with nature. The boat was not rocking, and the sea actually gave me a scup that had lived a good fish life and was of the right size for eating. My brother caught a huge flounder that put up quite a fight until the captain punched him in the head. Really. The fish, not my brother. A right hook. The fish valet appeared and filleted our catch. As we left the ship, I said my thanks to Agwe and Yemanja for the dinner and the safe passage on her waters. I had to go to the sea to make my peace with nature. Hopefully it would carry over the the South Texas Hill County, too.
Crabs in the water.
For real.
I looked through the green-tinted water and thought that my eyes were fooling me. A blue crab was peeking through the murkiness. He was of a good size and could be part of my dinner like the fish I caught this morning off my hired fishing boat and he knew it too. Crabby nipped at my toes and I yelped, reminded of my anti-natural credo.
I don't do natural water.
Being in no- air condition land, I have violated that several times in a single day. Its over 100 degrees and the only place where its not sweltering is on the water or at the beach and so I find myself at the Inkwell with all the other black people. There's an atmosphere here not found at State Beach or South Beach. Yes, its rocky at the water's edge, but its the only beach where it sounds like a party, the only beach where the music is just loud enough where you can't help but nod your head. Once you get over the rocks the sand is soft and the water is still enough where you can sit in chest high water and chat with a neighbor. A game of water football is happening nearby and I don't even care if they splash my beach makeup..
I'm sitting across from this guy I met in Lola's the other night, only today he ain't so friendly. Looks like he' s with wifey and friends and she sure looks like a man-eater. I couldn't resist it when I sat down, I assessed the situation and waved at him just to mess with him.
It was hot yesterday too and I gladly spent all day at South Beach with its high winds that cooled and wild, icy surf. I stayed so long that my sister demanded to know who I was and what had been done with the real Nina Foxx. It was so hot that go-against-the-grain-don't do nature-or natural-water me was driven like a lemming to the edge of the land along with everyone else. And you know what else? I didn't pass go or collect two hundred dollars when I got there either, I just dove right into the Atlantic without blinking an eye. I stayed there until my body was sufficiently cool enough to turn to my sister and ask her, “Please tell me I don't look like that in this bathing suit.” She declined to comment but I love her anyway.
Lola's. I mentioned Lola's. They said it was the place to go on the island, so I went there on Sunday night. We waltzed in and at first glance, the place looked empty. We slid onto a bar stool at the bar with the best looked bartender, Hans. All of nineteen years old or so and fine, with an apple-pie kind of smile. We might as well enjoy the scenery. Hans mixed a mean martini and didn't blush or blink an eye at all the old women making lewd and lascivious comments.
My sister picks up strange people, they glom onto her like flies to honey. She has this talent for making everyone feel ultra-comfortable. Before I knew what was happening, she was talking to this couple at the bar. Turned out that own a charter sailboat and were staying on their boat out in Oak Bluffs Harbor. They turned into pumpkin at about midnight because they had to catch the last water taxi back to their boat. They were speed drinkin to make up for the lack of time, and in one drink, I knew all about them and their business and their love. She was fifteen years older than he and they'd met for the first time when he was eight years old, a long time ago.
Two spouses ago.
He said they were looking for a ghost writer to tell their story and she danced with my sister/mom and then came back and told me that my sister was hot in in ooh, la la kind of way. That's when I met the guy on the beach and he was a little funny and probably more than a little drunk.
It was fishing day the next day. My family wanted to go fishing on a Boat. Considering my history with nature,you understand how nervous I was. We were charged with catching our dinner and I was hungry, so I went anyway. I was hoping there was someone off the side of the boat, in the water that would put the fish on your hook and then I was going to need a fish valet. You heard of those right? That's the person on the boat who puts the bait on the hook and then takes off the fish. Turns out none of these were present, and the bait wasn't the live worms I pictured, but it was squid/calamari/sushi and my brother unhooked the fish for me. I kept catching little baby fishes that were too small so I threw them back to their mamas. My daughter was thrilled to catch her own and halfway through the trip I realized that I had certainly made my peace with nature. The boat was not rocking, and the sea actually gave me a scup that had lived a good fish life and was of the right size for eating. My brother caught a huge flounder that put up quite a fight until the captain punched him in the head. Really. The fish, not my brother. A right hook. The fish valet appeared and filleted our catch. As we left the ship, I said my thanks to Agwe and Yemanja for the dinner and the safe passage on her waters. I had to go to the sea to make my peace with nature. Hopefully it would carry over the the South Texas Hill County, too.
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