Merwin's Turn

We keep in close touch with our dear friends Michèle and Raymond by email and in the marvel of computer conferencing via Apple’s iChat. Their English is remarkably fluent with only a trace of English accent. This week they have had the pleasure of having their eight-year-old grandson Paul as their special guest while his older sisters, who are swimmers, are engaged in an intensive swimming program in Barcelona. Our friends are both retired Shakespeare professors and live in a northern suburb of Rouen called Mont Saint Aignan where we have had memorable visits. On Thursday they headed directly north to the city of Dieppe on the Normandy coast. The second picture shows Paul and his grand-mère Michèle relaxing on the marvelously pebbled beach at Dieppe. This is on the English Channel directly across from England The first picture shows an exuberant Paul as he is allowed to control the boat they were on cruising the harbor. I have not yet heard all the details of their excursion but look forward to hearing about Paul’s captaincy.

In 1963 when son Lincoln was 3 and Harvey and Arthur were 10 and 9 we were vacationing in the Adirondacks in New York State and wanted to reach Vermont to East. We bordered a ferry to cross the 14-mile wide Lake Champlain and all went up to an observation deck to enjoy the view. The older boys soon left us to explore while we were happy to relax with our young son. Suddenly, we were startled by the boat lurching first to the right and then to left. Bernice and I knew immediately that our boys were involved, most likely irrepressible son Arthur. I made my way to bridge area wondering how this had happened. Before I reached the bridge I encountered a door with the clear warning: “No Passengers Beyond This Point.” As the boys evidently did, I went through the door and made my way to the bridge where Harvey was broadly smiling, hands on the wheel, confidently in control. It was Arthur who surprised the Captain with his aggressive test of the steering. The Captain was very generous and was impressed with how much the boys knew. He told me they would be fine and could stay during the crossing but would be sent down well before the dock was reached. You can see how the picture of young Paul at the boat controls evoked this memory.

We are having a reluctant spring in Glen Head for, although daffodils have appeared and tulips will soon be in blossom, low temperatures have persisted. There are many trees in wonderful bloom and our front yard has many flowers in spite of the coolness. Today the temperature struggled to get to 45 F. To me, a significant harbinger of this vernal season is the wakening of our pond goldfish who have been hibernating through the harsh winter buried deeply in bottom mud of the pond. The pond vegetation is showing sprouting green but no goldfish had yet appeared as Passover began. Giving up hope and saddened by their suspected death I purchased ten little goldfish into the pond. They seemed happy and frolicked as goldfish sometimes do. The next day I spotted only two and then there were none. I was miserable picturing some night marauder like a raccoon or early morning heron eating the whole school in one fell swoop.

But hope emerged when I went to the pond with son Dave and spotted a tiny glint of gold at the bottom of the pond. It was a live fish burrowing further into the mud. Then we spotted another who headed for shelter in the emerging vegetation. Dave told be I was too impatient. Others have told me the same thing. I hope it warms up a bit and more fish appear.

Happy remaining Pesach to all and a Happy Easter also,

Merwin