A LAST LOOK FROM THE BALCONY...and other thoughts

3-14-10

An older couple moves grudgingly down the shoreline into a nearly gale-force wind. Dressed in light jackets and tight fitting caps they walk arm in arm until the woman stops, turns her back to the breeze and huddles in the shelter of her husband's backside. After she blows her nose, they continue their journey.

The man who must return to Michigan soon took a long walk himself this morning on the nearly deserted beach. He marvelled at the furious forces of the wind gods as he worked his way past several mounds of trash left by spring breakers. Dozens of red plastic cups, crushed beer cans, empty glass bottles and a well-drained fifth of liquor lay partially submerged in the sand. The sight saddened the man. Had he ever been so environmentally unconscious? He knew the answer to that particular question..at least partially.


It is early afternoon of our last day on the beach and we have just returned from the local urgent-care clinic after a stop at Walgreens. Eileen's cough got a lot worse late yesterday evening. Unbeknownst to me, she even drove herself to get some Nyquil last night while I slept in the other bedroom so we could both rest peacefully. Thank God for good insurance and drugs because she seems a lot better as I am writing this; scurrying around the condo rooms trying to figure out the most efficient means of cramming a month's worth of vacation crap into the very restricted confines of our Saturn Vue.

In the elevator with one of our first mini-loads, I shared space with two cleaning crew members who worked in our condo. There isn't a lot of time to chat in the space of moving five floors down, but it was still an interesting and meaningful conversation:

"I just wanted to tell you what a nice job you guys do on this place. It must be rough having to clean up after all the spring breakers," I said while also mentioning some of the early morning destruction I had noticed when leaving for my run.

The lady worker shrugged her shoulders, flashed a gap-toothed grin and remarked,
"Oh, it ain't so bad. We was all young once weren't we?" Her buddy smiled shyly, bobbing his head in agreement.

"I was young once a long time ago but I just don't remember being that stupid", I replied.

On my way to the car I had a moment to digest my comments as I struggled with the load of golf clubs, a suitcase and some musical paraphenalia; Truth is, this old man raised more than his share of heck on spring break and other vacations to the southland. Getting popped for a "minor in posession" back in 69 was one of my first thoughts. Swimming full blast into the side of a pool after draining three or four 16oz Buds while racing a pal was another instant flashback (I wore glasses then but not while swimming, obviously). Those are memories for another blog, maybe.

Meantime, I reminded myself during that last glorious frolic on the seashell-strewn sand this morning that I too was once young. Then I proved it to a few young bucks who had merged in behind me from some hotel after I had already run about five miles. They're probably still talking about the balding, grey haired dude who left them in his dust during the last of his wonderful runs in Gulf Shores, Alabama.