The Dénouement

We have all but unknotted the strands that have sown us together here for the past six months. Today was my goodbye haircut; tomorrow it's our purgative manis and pedis. Early Saturday morning we're gone.  After my bike ride late this morning I carefully positioned the trusty instrument in its habitual place against the wall in the men's cabinet on the first floor and bid it au revoir! It may or may not survive ignorance and abandonment for the next six months until our return. No matter; I'll buy a new one if necessary. The local bike dealer rejected my offer to buy it in exchange for my promise to purchase a new one next year.  The condo management was reluctant to propose a storage place.  So I'll just leave it where it has resided since last October.

Following our cosmetic improvements tomorrow morning - and before we indulge ourselves late in the afternoon for the finale at The Waterfront Restaurant & Craft Bar on Anna Maria Island - I plan to wallow in the sun by the sea. The forecast is sunny and 80℉. Tomorrow will be a well deserved respite from the routine exercise on two wheels. I may even forgo walking on the beach.

Though we filled our faces at the Blue Dolphin Café for breakfast this morning we frequented Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant this evening for a final inspection of their seaside menu and a sunset view of Sarasota Bay. The place was packed.  We waited almost an hour to be seated.  Meanwhile we lingered on the new log benches and joked with several other people who were waiting as well. When we were later taken to our table we had an outdoor spot adjacent the Bay whence we watched young families cavorting and killing time.  A small boy hugged his father.  A six-year old girl wearing a fedora and carrying a Teddy Bear proclaimed her annoyance at having to wait to be fed; her mother reacted with uncommon social discipline.  A middle-aged couple nearby plodded through their meals mechanically and without apparent satisfaction, a theme echoed by their equally despondent server. Meanwhile we each waded through two courses, oysters and vegetarian fare. I had a superb Key Lime pie for dessert. On our drive home we spotted a spectacular peacock for which the ancient residential area (Longboat Key's first) is celebrated.

This afternoon - as a further exemplification of our impending departure - we swam in the sea for longer than normal. The tide was receding.  The sandbar was noticeably pronounced. There were no waves to speak of, just rolling billows of translucent salt sea water. The epilogue of our winter narrative is not the only thing made clear.