“Marsh Harbor will take you in his runabout, sir.”
The skinny boy looked no more than twelve, and made younger by the eagerness of expression.
“I don’t want to be a bother,” I said.
“I am an excellent driver, sir,” said the boy. “The best on the Cay.”
The car was a right-hand drive Austin Moke of considerable antiquity. I wedged myself into the passenger seat. The boy gunned it, spraying a fantail of sand behind us.
“Your name is Marsh Harbor?” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Like the town?”
“I was named after it, sir. You are from Miami?”
“No. I’ve been there, though”
He grinned. “All my life, I have longed to go to Miami. I have never left Green Turtle Cay.”
“Not even to Nassau?”
“No sir. My grandmother forbids it. She says Nassau is a place of sin.”
“But not Miami.”
“No sir. Miami is the New World.”
What Pegman Saw: Bahamas
Perspective is everything, isn’t it? Miami not a place of sin… ummm :)
Thanks, Dale. This conversation actually took place with a young guy who drove me in a golf cart to the bar you see in the picture. This was pre-social media, but the one boy he’d known who had been to Miami became a local celebrity. They called him “Elvis.”
That is a great story, Josh. I love the characters we meet on vacation. The stories they tell us makes the trip that much more.
Love his naive perspective. So many wonderful turns of phrase from the “fantail of sand” to his “eagerness of expression”. I could see it all!
I’ve never been to Miami but I grew up in Las Vegas so I can imagine.
Miami isn’t a place of sin? It’s amazing what people from distant lands think of us. I’ve met folks from the Philippines who believe that all Americans are honest. Wow. I didn’t know where to begin with that.
Nice piece about perspectives.
This piece made me smile, from the Blue Bee Bar to the young man to the Miami being the New World.
Nice story, with lovely dialogue.
Dear Josh,
This story and the ensuing comments made me smile. Ah the stuff dreams are made of. I visited Miami in the 60’s with my parents during the off season. At the time Yiddish was heard almost as much as English. Fast forward 40 years and it’s Spanish. ;) Sorry…I strayed to the side of the road. I meant to say good story…well written as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
enjoyed being in this social exchange – and really reminds me of the people we meet on vacation – or here and there – and laughing at the Miami is a sin… wonder if he saw Miami Vice…
There’s nowt like a real story to give one’s prose some clout.
Ah, the “New World”. It must be alright, then!
Good story Josh. Loved the boy’s eager expression and his enthusiasm for Miami. If he finally gets there I hope he’s not disappointed!
I really like the way to tell the whole story through dialogue, how the man and the boy relate to each, how the man is wary, the boy innocent and exuberant. A great story.
ps . the way you tell -Typo