08 June 2010

Magpie Tales-Siren Song


Long Island Sound was like a blue green mirror frosted on its edges. An azure cloudless sky the ceiling of a vast room framed by land as we sat talking and laughing. Three friends recently graduated from high school and celebrating the first day of summer and freedom.We had always been together since kindergarten.

My best friend, Gwen, who was everything I was not, tall, blond and rich, was off to Brown. Meghan, a redhead, who could curse like a sailor much to her mother's dismay, would be going to SUNY. I would be waiting tables for the crowds at Southampton working for my cousin's catering company hoping to earn enough to pay my way to county college.

We were moving at nice clip when the wind suddenly died down and Gwen noticed the clouds coming over the horizon. Life vests on, we moved into position, just as we had been taught. Meghan stood to look for the shore and I pushed her down, shouting to Gwen to point us home. We sat in the boat as it rocked, manning the sails as the sky grew dark, the hail raining down as a curious song rang in our ears. Cold and shaken, we finally docked the boat in Port Jeff. The dock felt different when our feet hit the wood this time, hands clasped and staring out into the horizon, soaked, lightning flashing and thunder rolling across the sound.

We meet each year, twenty-five and counting, but rarely talk about the song we heard that day.

This siren song is courtesy of Magpie Tales!

16 comments:

JC said...

I like your turn on this ... out on the boat and they heard the song that they don't talk about.

Brian Miller said...

but it is forever etched in their minds...right there beneath the surface...

Tess Kincaid said...

Beautiful and haunting memory. I especially like "The dock felt different when our feet hit the wood this time...".

Elizabeth said...

An excellent tale!
I lived in Huntington for 20 years....
I know your setting well.

Helena said...

Forever silent on that song. I like it...!

Anonymous said...

Wow some great writing. I could see it all, and will hear that song too.
QMM

Paul C said...

Yes, the siren song that can entice and capture....Well done.

rel said...

C.M.,
Aye, the siren,s song;it is extraordinarily compelling. Fortunatetly they we're women all and no bee's wax between them; they'd have been lost for sure, but for now, across the depths of time they are enchanted only for a time each year.
Delightful Magpie.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

wild and fun tale!

Suz said...

...the ceiling of a vast room
..loved that

you made me interested to know more....I really loved this magpie
..siren..Ooooo

~T~ said...

Great description! What was waiting for them there?

Stafford Ray said...

All sailors know those moments when the storm looms and we listen for a voice to guide us. Post trauma always changes how the wood feels. We hear you!

Anonymous said...

Nice take with the sirens and the silence of what was heard that day....great story....bkm

Vicki Lane said...

Haunting siren song of a magpie!

susan m hinckley said...

I love your blog. So happy to have found my way here. And excellent magpie, as well. Loved the description -- what was said as well as what wasn't.

C.M. Jackson said...

susan thanks for stopping by-I love your blogs--happy thoughts and beuatiful work--I will return!

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