Nora & Her Family
in the Caymans
I think several of the little guys in and around the pool
yesterday are related. They all have bright plastic buckets.
The two sets of parents sit together on a couple of chaises
talking intently among themselves and drinking while the
kids wreak havoc. They let the kids in the pool by
themselves--first Nora rule broken. They ignore the fact
that blood-curdling screams are piercing the air on a
constant basis. Buckets wing through the air behind the
screams. I'm not talking about splashing and squealing and
letting loose with those great belly laughs toddlers are
famous for. I mean demon screams and flying plastic.
We desert the pool for awhile and swim in the sea. But
the chaises by the pool are more comfortable, and I want to
read awhile. Screams and flying buckets are still on today's
list of entertainment. I watch the parents a bit. Still
drinking and chatting with barely a glance at their kids.
At one point on of the boys runs off. Dad remains seated,
beer in hand, and shouts--top of the lungs. Jack! Jack!
JACKSON!!!! I see where Jack gets the volume. But Dad
doesn't get off his butt.
Adults are deserting the pool like losing soldiers desert
a battlefield.
BW goes back to the beach, but I stick awhile longer. I
watch Dad of Jack get up, finally. But he comes back moments
later, dangling Jack by one arm. Dumps him back in the pool.
I am mildly amazed by this. Jack and his cousins scream some
more. Then I hear crying. That My God I'm So Tired Why
Aren't You Making Me Take A Nap sort of crying. Hot, cranky,
wailing tears. Mom eventually scoops up the kid and begins a
loud debate with him. She wants him to lie down--on a chaise
by the pool.
Oh yeah, I think, that's going to work. He's exhausted,
over-stimulated and he's going to cooperate and lie down on
a pool chaise while several other kids are running around
and yelling. But it's pretty obvious Mom doesn't want to go
up to the room, to leave her perch and her drink and her
conversation.
So I give up and go inside to finish my book.
Today, you may not be aware, is the Queen's birthday. BW
hopes to celebrate this with a parasail. I hope to celebrate
it by watching him and praying he comes back down in one
piece.
Nora
Nora's Cayman
reports are ©
2001 by Nora Roberts & ADWOFF
All Rights
Reserved
