Episode 78. Little Mac Looked In
Little Mac looked in at the village for once and not the ever-fascinating vast expanse of sea, and his heart surged.
The fog was blowing in at a great rate but he was in the harbour and would not be lost. At least not today.
He loved the church, although not a member of the congregation. And he loved the congregation, his neighbours, although they were not all his friends. And he loved the catboats moored like medals on an elderly veteran.
How long, how long, how long? The horizon was calling and the fog offshore was dense. So much that was so dear would disappear. He could hear Noah shouting and Sir Barksalot barking somewhere in the increasing obscurity. He could hear the mower that his heart's desire Big Bertha was behind today. Delilah and Cousin Minnie he could see. They had both decided that the season was advanced enough for swimming. They were in up to their heads. And now they were bobbing under. He could feel the shock of that moment of complete immersion in a north Atlantic that even in the shallows of the harbour and after weeks of summer sun was never anything approaching warm. He could feel how good it felt to them as the shock subsided and complete freshness set in and they began to fare forward with an overhand stroke.
All transitory. Yes, of course. And you could try to hold sand too, with your fingers spread wide.
He leaned on the oars and moved on until the only sound he could hear was that of the bell buoy rocking in the channel and the only sight he could see was the fog dimly etched with the whitey-bones breakers on the rocks of Redmond Island.
Yes, he would turn, and he would come home today. He would stay close because he could stay close. Today.

26 July 2018
Texas Jim
Prospect, Nova Scotia
www.granitecoast.ca