In Hyannis, despite a torrential downpour, we managed to stop at the candy store, a couple of gift type stores, a CD and poster store, the army surplus store and the sad little arcade, before heading back to the car with our candy and fudge and posters. We didn't stop at the toy store or the rock and mineral store or the min-golf. Not because we didn't want to, but because they're no longer there... which is a big reason we were all done walking around by lunch time.
After a couple of quick stops, we headed back to the cottage to re-group, get a bite to eat and make plans for the afternoon. We decided to head to Chatham.
In the past, visiting Chatham was a trip we made in the morning. Why this was, I’m not quite sure. Maybe it was because it's a little out of our way and a longer ride than it was to some of our other haunts. Back when the kids were small, no matter where we went, we had to allow plenty of time for the ride back so they could unwind before bed. But the kids were older now so we didn't have to feel as pushed for time. That, along with the end of vacation being in sight, made it no time to be nitpicky. So, off we went.
The ride felt longer than I remembered it and the traffic seemed heavier too. When we finally approached Chatham, it became abundantly clear why we used to make the trip in the morning. The place was mobbed. What was the matter with all of these people? Didn’t they realize it had rained earlier? Shouldn’t they all be at the mall? But no, apparently they all decided to go to Chatham instead. We foolishly tried to park where we usually would, but the small lot was havoc. I joined the line of vultures circling for fresh prey, but it was no use. I got spit out onto a side road only to have to follow the road back to the beginning of town, only to try it again. The next time, we tried a different lot and after going through much the same drawn out slow dance, we eventually secured a spot way at the back. And even then, we had to cut someone else off to get it. Normally I would feel bad about this, but this was vacation and I had made a pact with myself not to feel bad about anything until we got back home.
We parked the van and walked what felt like a mile to town, when who should we bump into, but Jake’s ex-girlfriend. What luck! Here we are 150 miles from home, and Jake gets a one in a million chance to see an old friend. I’m a little surprised I didn’t get introduced, but hey, I’m sure I will be next time.
When we made it to Main Street, it was even more packed than the parking lot- which only made sense if I had bothered to think about it. All of those cars had to belong to someone, and in most cases, many someones. Out on the sidewalks, throngs of people scurried mindlessly in every direction. Once we had managed to wedge ourselves into the moving crowd, followed along. We couldn't stop if we wanted to. People would bump into you or push you along. It was like being caught in a tangled mob trying to escape a burning building, only not as fun. If I made it into a store- either on purpose or by accident, I found I couldn’t get out. People would fill the aisles between me and the exit like swollen sponges and the tide of people being pushed in would block the only way out. Finally I would squeeze myself back through the crowd with a litany of insincere "Excuse me's", and spit myself back onto the sidewalk, only to start his cycle all over again.
Fighting our way down one side of the street, we were convinced there must be something worthwhile if we would just walk a little bit further. And I'm pretty sure that once upon a time, there was something more interesting down there. I clearly remember there being a toy shop and a store that sold Christmas decorations. But these stores were long gone and it soon became obvious that we were wasting our time. Even if they were still there, which they weren't, I wasn't in the mindset to enjoy them- not when the only thing going through my mind was How do I get out of here???? All of this only made getting back to the car more excruciating. We should have turned around when we had the chance. But we eventually made it through the gauntlet of tourists and back to the van. I couldn't get out of there fast enough- even though I tried.
We made it over to the Light House Beach where all of this played out again, albeit in smaller scale- the overcrowded parking lot, cars searching for prey, the circling around through side streets. Eventually, we got the van in some kind of a line or a mob or... something- at the far end of the parking lot. Cars were maneuvering and backing up in every direction. We waited what seemed like twenty minutes, but in reality was closer to twenty seconds, before I said,"To heck with this". This beach would have to wait for another lifetime. We broke ourselves out of the knot of vehicles and started to head away, passing the line of parked cars on our right. Just before we got to the end, lo and behold- an empty space! Someone had just pulled out and for once, we were in the right place at the right time. We grabbed the spot. Some people may say that this is cutting in line, but I say it doesn’t count if you don’t make eye contact. And just like the earlier parking space in town, we didn’t make eye contact.
After parking, we went down the stairs and walked the beach, collecting shells along the way. Rachael plopped herself onto the beach fairly quickly, while Helaina worked the shoreline with Jake. Sam and I searched the ridge together. We made it down to the far end of the beach where you can sometimes catch site of the occasional seal. The seal population had grown so much around here that sharks had been spotted all summer long in the area, attracted by the possibility of a seal buffet. This, apparently, had closed the beach to swimming more than once this summer- not that this mattered much to us (the swimming that is, not the seal eating part). We've never gone swimming here, just shell collecting.
The four of us went as far as the end of the peninsula, where we were lucky enough to not only see several seals, but even luckier to not see any half eaten seals being washed up on shore. There's nothing like a dead, bloated seal carcass to ruin a trip to the beach- especially when you're with Sam.
We (that is to say, "I") decided that we had gone far enough. We had already lost Rachael a ways back and the rest of us were getting tired too (plus, I wanted to avoid the possible risk of seeing any aforementioned seal carcasses).
Walking back along the shore, we searched for toenail shells to fill Helaina’s eventual lamp, but for all of this effort, there wasn't much to be found. Even Jake, who usually makes some kind of unusual discovery at this beach, came up more empty handed than usual. Still, I considered it a success since no seals, or any of us, were eaten by sharks. We continued heading back, picking up the occasional shell and eventually picking up Rachael as well.
All of us were pretty well worn out by the time we got back to the van. It had been a long, full day. So... what better time to get ice cream? After all, it was on the way back to the cottage... sort of.
Getting out of town proved to be a little easier than getting into town and after a quiet ride, we arrived at the Sundae School- yet another one of those places we’ve been going to since the kids were small. As luck would have it, we only had to circle around the parking lot once before finding a space to park. After going inside and getting ice cream, we went back out and sat at the picnic table, talking about our day and watching as the parking lot overflowed.
We finished our ice creams and headed back to the cottage, the dusk turning to darkness in the time it took us to drive back. Helaina, Rachael and I went grocery shopping after dropping the others off to relax and unwind. We would soon join them.
It would be another night of not having enough energy for playing games. We ended the day as we started it- worn out. Sam would work on his puzzle again, and later, perch himself in the recliner to once again feast in the bounty that is the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon. It wasn’t long before he went to bed. And it wasn’t long until the rest of us went to bed as well.
Thunderstorms rolled in during the night.
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