Apply Liberally

Apply Liberally

It’s tough to get close to a beach without access. From an overlook, I get a taste of the full view, smell, and sounds. Just a tantalizing taste. But a taste isn’t enough. I have been to Nauset on Cape Cod hundreds of time. As a boy, the ocean—open clear out to...
What It Takes

What It Takes

I have a new moniker for Steve L., one of my four brother-in-laws with the same first name. Now he’s Ramp Man to me. He drove to the Cape from Connecticut fully loaded: Boston Whaler packed with bikes, folding tables, life jackets, power tools, and reclining chairs...

Well Used

I often hide my hands now. They stay clasped in my lap when I’m in polite society, though I can’t stop myself from checking for sore spots. They are cracked and deeply lined. The tips sometimes split where the skin meets the nail. I have callouses on the insides of...