Still Life NYC: Straw Hats

You've risen early this summer day, and it's still cool. Breakfast with friends at the yacht club is on the morning agenda. The usual crew will be there, though as old age sets in fewer regularly make the trek. The outside stairs that lead up to the cafe take their toll, but it's worth it for the company and the view of the turquoise bay through the palm fronds. Sometimes a card game is played, or dominoes. Always there is talk of the island's development, its growing population. The occasional sail unfurls in the bay and stirs someone's memory and a tale is told. From time to time, old friends stop by, visiting from England or the States, and while their enthusiasm freshens the morning, it's another reminder of how quickly time passes. Your mind's drifted again, and as you pad about the bamboo floors of your bungalow, you notice the angle of the light changing. The rising sun is already chasing away the clouds. You'll need a hat.

Martinique.
Darlene.
Coca.