Old Salt, New Rum

Scampering down the hot sandy beach, his leather, tricorn hat flails manically beside him. As a squatter amongst the schools of fish, his splashes interrupt the placid water as he drifts his way back to the three-masted schooner. Escaping the powerful tide, his frayed, wet garments tatter further as he climbs the spruce wood ladder. Gazing back at the dense, tropical forest, his wandering eyes spot those of a befuddled teenage boy perched atop a large, salt eroded boulder. The muscular boys’ bent knees were pulled tightly to his chest as he fixated on the bohemian buccaneer parading around his vessel. Similar to a monkey suspended across two vines, the marauder gripped the thin yet sturdy ropes of the stern. The tip of his hat and cheeky smirk signaled to the complacent boy an invitation to join his adventure. Without hesitation, the boys’ wide, unblinking eyes contemplated the ephemeral offer that awaited him and he lunged from the rock, plummeting into the water. Gawking at the size of the vessel in front of him, his unshaven, prominent jaw gapped and apprehension paralyzed his muscles.

The dark, distressed, never-ending wood rocked against the azul water as dreams and concerns simultaneously swayed the boys’ judgment. Infinite adventures, the salty breeze grazing his tanned face constantly, and uncharted seas beckoned him to climb the same ladder as the spontaneous swashbuckler. Yet, his callused feet sank further into what now resembled quicksand as doubts of the unknown erased his brief smile. Potentially leaving his place of solace, insecurities engrossed him. Knowing each jagged rock, the confidence his bare feet acquired to waltz through tall grasses, and the reassuring murmurs of the numerous creatures made him pause further. His contentedness on the island was unparalleled, yet his nightly dream of leaving transformed into reality. Lifting his feet out of the sand, he mentally photographed the swaying palm trees and dark green forest and thanked his place of refuge. Leaping further into the undulating waves, his body became submerged as the sand disappeared under his feet and he struggled to grab the splintered wood. Forcefully clutching the ladder, a dusty, tanned hand extended itself over the banister. With unwavering certainty, the no longer precarious boy seized the favor, hungry to experience new horizons.