My House Boat

By this time in my life I thought I'd be living on a House Boat. It's been where I've always wanted to end up. From the first time I set foot on one in Clark Lake I was mesmerized and wanted one. Then I read all of John McDonald's Travis McGee novels and the hook was set. What's not to love about selling everything you have and getting a House Boat? If you don't like the neighbors ... it's easy to move. Want a better school district for the kids? Sail to a one. When the crooks in Congress change your district from party to the other ... just drift on down to where you like. It's really hard for Jehovah Witness people to knock on your door if they have to swim to it. You see the attraction of what I'm saying. On a rolling sea the other day Sarah needed a break from the top deck so we all inside for lunch. Inside for lunch on a cruise ship is like going to Food Court in a Mall made in hell! There's all you can eat soft serve ice cream which is what the girls ate for lunch every day so there we were. Plus you have to put on a shirt and flip flops to eat inside which sucks. "How you feel baby?" I asked tenderly holding her hand. "You got your sea legs yet? You need 'em before we get the House boat." "We've got time," she said looking purple. At this precise moment, Cassidy knocked Maddie's plate of ketchup with a few French Fries over into Maddie's lap. Laurel patiently watched it all licking her ice cream. I think this is cruise ship Food Court norm as people were spilling plates left and right ... no one seemed to notice or care. Staring at the girls, I realized that ... as usual ... Sarah is right. We've got time. The House Boat will come later. A couple of years ago I almost moved to St. Martin for good. The time was right. The money was right. The only thing that wasn't right was me. I was pretty messed up ... lost and adrift ... dazed and confused ... abandoned and alone. But I didn't. Last night Sarah and I were home alone and opted to head to Nicki's for a late night bite. We talked while we ate and prepared for her parent's visit, how the girls are doing and my kids Jeremy and Marie, Kristen and Chelsea and Sam. Afterwards we strolled down the beach holding hands and talking about this and that. "Are y'all locals?" a pasty white dude asked. We told him we were and he explained that when he gets out of the military in eight more years he wants to move to Tybee Island. He asked where he should live, so we told him where we live. Walking back to the Combat Zone we ran into Samuel Adams, who plays damn good live music most nights, and Bob Tripp so we sat and visited on a beautiful summer night at the beach. After a good visit, we came home and I called Jeremy and Chelsea from the Beloved Back Deck and we laughed and made plans. Wandering back inside, Sarah was finishing up hiding pictures we'd taken on my I-Phone (in case I lose it again) so we did what married couples do ... at least what happy married couples do. After we consummated things we took Winston, the little gay dog, outside to do the things little gay dogs do. There was a beautiful sliver of moon. The waves were roaring in the distance. The air was warm and filled with salt. The Palm Trees danced in the breeze. The House Boat will come. I'm much too determined a person to not have that experience. I think to myself ... well while I wait ... this isn't too bad a way to spend my time. Days pass without a cloud. And I'm smiling out loud.