9.02.2010

OBX...a reluctant epilogue

Click twice upon the scattered images for a closer look at the recent past,
or impose a sense of order by clicking HERE.

Early Departure


Unsure of whether Earl would ruin the last few days of our stay, Daniela and I decided to go for a long walk this morning. Along the shore we saw the usual fare of runners. One man in the distance was midway through his Sun Salutation pose. As we walked by him, he mentioned that the county to the south had issued a mandatory evacuation as the hurricane moved up along the coast. He mentioned that the evacuation order for our area was imminent. We pretended otherwise and kept walking.

As we neared our starting point we could see a cluster of people. Daniela thought they were a large family gathering for a photo op. I thought it might be a local dialect of religious ritual. We were both wrong. The flower girls gave it away as they approached the group huddled by the shore. Then we saw the bride.


We returned to the house and planned to have a relaxing breakfast, but heard the news that all visitors must evacuate. Unfortunately, our vacation was abbreviated and we were all a bit moody. Endings are never pleasant....

We started packing, and left the island only an hour after our morning walk. But as we drove off, I thought of that couple on the beach. Hurricane Earl may have forced them into an impromptu seaside exchange of vows, or it may have all been planned. Either way, they were beginning something...and that made me smile.