Beach Buddies

What a surprise! Gail called at 8 AM and cancelled on me! (She was babysitting.) Debbie D. and Debbie G. dropped by not knowing when we were supposed to start the study. I'd had to tell them that when Gail cancelled, I'd already told Alex the good news - we could go to Island Beach again. It was due to be a beautiful day. They understood and I prepped us to go.

I tried to get us there a tad earlier today. We would have to stop at Town Hall to get a day pass. I was able to get us there on the 2 PM boat, arriving on the island at 2:15. There was a surprise waiting for Alex on the island too. The food vendor and his wife had to be on hand to pack everything up for the season. They had brought their 5 year old son, William with them. Alex had a playmate for the whole day! Alex took to William like a fly to honey.

William was a sweet and kind boy who didn't mind playing with a boy 2 years younger than himself. Alex was very Big Boy about sharing his toys (despite one brief incident over the big green Dig-Dig). They played on the playground together. They dug in the sand and moved trucks and rocks and shells around. Alex had a blast!

Alex took so soundly to William that when they walked back to the tent from the playground, Alex asked William to hold his hand. Being a big Kindergartener now, William refused. Alex was heartbroken. "William! You have to hold my hand!" he howled. I had to talk Alex into laying off, especially when he made William even more nervous by talking about how William would come home with us.

I told Alex that William had his own family to go home with. I asked William if he would be returning on the ferry with everyone else or if his dad had his own boat. William said that they'd be coming back on the ferry with everything they had to take from the stand. His uncle would be at the dock to help them with it all.

Alex took this as his cue to manipulate the outcome of events. He ran up to the picnic area by himself in which I had to dash after him, asking William to stay with the toys. Alex ran to the food stand and was trying to get the older William's attention. He wanted a buttered roll. I told Alex I had one from earlier, but he wanted another one. Well, OK. It's only a buck fifty anyway. Alex did eat his roll back at the tent.

After the 5:30 ferry set out for Greenwich, I told the boys to keep playing with the trucks and toys, but I was going to be folding up the tent. I started my long, methodical beach packing when Alex dashed up to the picnic area again. This time, I had everything scattered everywhere. I asked William if he could go after Alex. When he caught up with him, he called down to me. Alex wanted a buttered roll.

I threw things together on the beach and came up to where they were standing. I told Alex I still had a buttered roll for him. He wanted another. I finally got it. Alex must have thought that if he could stop the older William from leaving the stand, then 5 y.o. William wouldn't have to leave on the ferry - and neither would we. Oh boy.

So, yeah, Alex didn't want to leave. I had to carry him off the playground when it was time to head to the 6:30 ferry. He refused to put on his shoes - thinking that would stop us. Sorry, kiddo, nothing will. We can't get stuck on the island.

Now I know that it's all worth the effort to get there more often next year. Good-bye Island Beach and good-bye summer in Greenwich. We will definitely be seeing you next year.

Wednesday, September 15