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I look up from my iPod to see the top of the Sagamore Bridge peak out over the horizon. I catch my dad's eye in the rearview mirror. He gives me wink.
"Almost at the bridge!" my mom says with a smile as she turns around to face my sister and I.
"Hi [[Dad->Grandpa]],” my mom speaks into her phone, "just calling to say we are going over the bridge and will be there in about forty-five-okay- alright we'll see you soon! Bye- love you too. Ba-bye.”
The stretch from our house to [[54 Palmer Drive]] is just over three hours. For my sister and I, this feels like a lifetime. From New Hampshire to Massachusetts, we have our earphones in and play music from our iPods. Once we get to the Boston tunnel, I usually start to get antsy and bored.
"Wanna play a game?" I ask my sister with a hopeful expression.
"No," she rolls her eyes and looks out the window. Two minutes later, she puts her iPod down. "Okay, what do you want to play?" We go between games like I'm thinking of an animal, eyespy, and the license plate game. Once we get to the Sagamore bridge, we are high on giggles and excitement.
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My nana and grandpa’s house sits in a quiet neighborhood in Chatham. My Grandparents dedicate time to keeping their garden looking pristine. My favorite time of year is the summer when their hydrangeas are in full bloom. I love sitting on the porch with my morning coffee and listening to the birds chirping in the trees next to the driveway. Their house is in the perfect location, with a short walk [[bike ride->Bike Ride]] away from the cute [[downtown->Downtown]] or [[School House Pond]].
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(align:"==><==")[I see you here,
I feel you here.
I can smell you in the salt air,
I can hear you in the sounds of the crashing waves.
The lighthouse shines its light,
and I know it's you,
signaling me.
<iframe width="600" height="500"src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wrvBXwBiMDc?si=cBF_9Cw2OVcN9BxI&start=566;end=623" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>]
(enchant:?page,,(bg:white))The gentle wind pulls my hair back behind my neck as I zoom down the hill. My feet relax from pedaling as the momentum takes me along. Hands on the handlebars, my grip untightens.
My favorite area in Chatham to ride my bike is down Shore Road. The views of the ocean, [[Fish Pier]], and Chatham Bars Inn make the tricky hills and steep inclines worthwhile.
<iframe width="600" height="500"src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/coSPbA-IUzs?si=oMK1isvmVDSpAxiq&start=43" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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[[James Taylor]]
[[Traffic]]
[[Lighthouses->Lighthouse Beach]]
[[Whistling]]
[[Birds chirping]]
The color blue
All of these things,
Remind me of you ]
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(enchant:?page,,(bg:"https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54179920045_92b3c0ec04_o.jpg"))I used to watch my mother swim all the way across the pond and back.
She did it so effortlessly. Without any hesitation. No going back.
I sat on the shoreline with my toes in the sand. I watched her get smaller and smaller as she swam onto the horizon.
I never worried if she made it to the other side, I know she always did. I jumped up and down, waving to the other end of the pond. I couldn't see her, and I knew she couldn't see me, but I knew she was there.
A week after my grandpa passed away, I swam the length of the pond. I went to the pond alone, there was nobody watching me from the shoreline making sure I got across okay.
As I was swimming backstroke, a figure flew above me. It was hard to tell what it was with my foggy goggles on.
But I knew it was a bird,
and I knew it was [[you.->Light]]
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A bell chimes with the opening of the door.
Libby and I leave our iced coffee on a side
table, the condensation dripping down
the plastic cup from the heat. I get a waft
of the sweet smell of retail. It's like a siren
call of consumer delight. The floorboards
creek as we all split up into the corners of
the store that grab our respective attention.
We always found the store to be made just
for us. My dad's favorite hobby is fly fishing-
making my sister and I both fisherman's
daughters. Since our time [[playing in the
water->School House Pond]] as kids, we always secretly knew
we were mermaids.]
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(align:"==><==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXX=")[ Downtown Chatham stretches down Main Street, full of quaint shops and cozy restaurants.
In the summer months, my family and I try and avoid this area, as tourists pack the streets and make everything crowded.
My nana treats my sister, Libby, and I to some fudge from Candy Manor.
I watch my mother carefully admire the silver jewelry in Mark August.
Libby and I get agitated as we wait until we can go to [[Fisherman's Daughter->Fisherman's Daughter]]]
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(align:"==>")+(box:"=X")[(text-color:#4682b4)[ Chatham, Cape Cod]
(text-style:"underline")+(text-colour:#212529)[[[Start Exploring->Bridge]]]
(text-color:#e18e96)[
[[Bridge]]
[[54 Palmer Drive]]
[[Bike Ride]]
[[School House Pond]]
[[Downtown]]
[[Fish Pier]]
[[Fisherman's Daughter]]
[[Grandpa]]
[[Lighthouse Beach]]
[[Whistling]]
[[James Taylor]]
[[Birds chirping]]
[[Traffic]]
[[Light]]
[[References]] ]]
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On the drive back from a night out to eat,
my grandpa would always make a stop here
before going home. We sometimes wouldn't
even get out of the car but just look at the view
through the windows.
In the daylight, we get out of the car and walk
down to the sand. The ice-cold water and huge
drop off makes swimming not very attractive.
You are only allowed to park at the beach for
thirty-minutes. So, if you want to stay there a while, you
need to be dropped off or otherwise take a bike.
There is a large sign at the bottom of the stairs
when you get down to the sand with an image
of a great white shark. It warns swimmers to "beware".
I don't know why this is my favorite beach on Cape Cod.
But it was [[your->Light]] favorite,
so it is mine too. ]
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"Fire and Rain"
"You've Got a Friend"
"Carolina in My Mind"
"Mexico"
"How Sweet It Is"
"Your Smiling Face"
"Sweet Baby James"
This past September, my family and I went to a James Taylor concert.
Being in Boston,
Seeing James' sweet little old man expressions,
The Songs.
I've never felt [[your->Light]] presence more.
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My dad turns our minivan into the driveway. The seashell path crunches underneath the tires. I open the car door before my dad can even put the car in park and race my sister towards the front steps. I swing the door open to see him standing behind the kitchen island.
"Hello there!" he says in his hoarse voice. His little smile grows wider and his blue eyes flicker with joy. I reach out and give him a hug. My head rests on his arm where his blue fleece softly tickles my cheek.
"Grandpa!" my sister shouts out as she comes in shortly after me.
I look down the hall to see my Nana emerge from her bedroom.
"Do I hear my sweet girls?" Asks my Nana as she walks towards us.
"Hi Nana!" I say excitedly while embracing her in a tight hug. Her clean scent of lavender and ocean breeze makes me feel relaxed and at home.
Following my mother, my dad steps into the house last. He always tries to bring in as many pieces of luggage as he can initially.
"Hey TJ," my dad side hugs grandpa as he holds a handful of bags in his left hand.
We all settle onto the kitchen barstools around the island.
My Nana, high on excitement, asks us all how we are doing and begins to fill the room with conversation.
Grandpa tentaively stands at the end of the counter, the quiet man he is. He approaches the counter. I can see the words beginning to arise inside him. The question [[he->Light]] always asks us when we arrive. A question that I know he's been wondering the answer to for the past four hours.
"Did you hit any traffic?" There it is.
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I sit quietly on the living room sofa reading a book. The house is still and feels empty. Nana is in her bedroom taking a rest. My Dad and sister are out on runs. My mom is shopping downtown.
But I am not alone. My grandpa moves around in the room next to me. I can hear him stand up from his chair and put his book down. His footsteps travel towards the kitchen, pausing at the window that looks out to the driveway. A soft whistle begins to play. So simple and sweet, yet powerful in the way it pulls at my heartstrings. I can never make up if he is whistling a tune of a song or harmonizing with a music that plays inside of him. The sounds of his whistle are accompanied by the shuffling of his feet, before he returns to his chair and carries on reading. He is probably wondering where my mother is, worried Libby and Dad get home safe. I like to think he can communicate with the birds through his whistle. [[He->Light]] tells them to watch over our family, to make sure we are all safe. ]
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For his birthday in March, we got my [[grandpa->Light]] a book on birds. Each page describes a bird.
A speaker, powered by batteries, can play each bird song. We visited again in June.
The batteries were dead. (enchant:?page,,(text-color:#191970))
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<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cfrh8wa1mT8?si=gYis8i9ceQYNUCCh&start=27" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
"Chatham: A Quaint Shark Village with a Seal Problem"
Metallic fishing chains clank against the boats. The wooden dock creaks underneath my feet. Between the cracks of the wood, the water ripples and splashes. The chatter from tourists and shouts between [[fishermen->Fisherman's Daughter]] are muted by the squawking of the seagulls that fly overhead. We all crowd around edge of the dock to get a glimpse at the seals swimming in the water. ]
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(align:"==><==")[
References
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<a href= "https://www.pinterest.com/pin/422281210809510/ ">[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/422281210809510/ ]
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<a href= "https://www.pinterest.com/pin/965318501354464267/">[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/965318501354464267/]
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<a href= "https://www.pinterest.com/pin/521854675589175164/ ">[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/521854675589175164/]
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<a href= "https://www.pinterest.com/pin/388365167850595075/ ">[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/388365167850595075/]
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<a href= "https://www.pinterest.com/pin/90072061271846702/ ">[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/90072061271846702/ ]
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<a href= "https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324681454394516244/ ">[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324681454394516244/]
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<a href= "https://www.pinterest.com/pin/928656385662885494/ ">[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/928656385662885494/]
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