John Casey - Spartina

Dick said, “Okay. I’ll just see the boys on their way.”

“Right-o,” Joxer said and went back to his guests at the top of the beach.

Dick called the boys. They gathered up their things and then argued over who got to row.

“Let Tom row,” Dick said. When they were settled, Dick gave the boat a shove. “Don’t run off tomorrow morning,” he called after them. “I got some plans for you.”

Elsie stood up in the water and waded ashore. “Aye, aye, Daddy,” she said. She saluted and laughed.

Dick said, “You know a better way to raise kids?”

“Don’t mind me. You might even be right. They still think you’re pretty neat. After Ed Wormsley gave his talk on trees Charlie asked me if you could take the class on a tour of the salt ponds, up into the marsh.”

“Jesus.”

“It’s a good idea. You know the marsh. In fact, I think you and I are the only two people left who know where the old causeway is. The one that runs into the bird sanctuary.”

Dick was startled. He didn’t say a word.

“Don’t ever pull that again,” Elsie said. “Once was funny. Twice would be a big fat fine.”

Dick fixed his eyes on the breachway.

Elsie said, “There are two other Resources officers who have you in mind, but they can’t prove it. They’re puzzled because they know you don’t own a tractor. That doesn’t puzzle me. I know your pal Ed Wormsley. I’d hate to see Eddie in trouble again.”

Dick rose to the bait, but didn’t take it. He said, “Ah.” Then said carefully, “I don’t think Eddie had anything to do with it. If what you’re talking about is whoever it was dug up the sanctuary beach. I thought I heard something that night. Could have been a tractor. Didn’t sound like a tractor, but it could have been. But Eddie doesn’t go in for clams. He doesn’t like them, wouldn’t know where to sell them. I got to go pick up some more guests. Now I guess you’re going to put your uniform on.”

Elsie laughed. “Nope. I’m out of uniform. Mind if I ride along?”

It wasn’t worth starting the motor just to go a quarter-mile round the point to the Wedding Cake wharf.

Elsie said, “Don’t mind me, don’t mind me. Look. If you and Eddie don’t do anything terrible, I’m on your side. Did Eddie tell you about the swan? Don’t answer that. I’ll tell you. I let him keep a swan he shot with his crossbow. I know you know about his crossbow. So long as you don’t do anything worse than that. And so long as nobody finds out. I just want to keep this place from going to hell. Sometimes I think I should quit and go work for Save-the-Bay or the Clamshell Alliance. Lie down in front of the bulldozers when they start a nuclear-power plant.”

“I heard that was all over with. They can’t build it in Wickford and they can’t build it in Charlestown.”

“Yeah. That one’s stopped. I don’t know what I’m complaining about. And even the cottages my brother-in-law is putting up here aren’t so bad. Have they showed you the architect’s model?”

“What cottages?”

“I thought you knew. Here on Sawtooth Point.”

“God Almighty.” Dick stopped rowing.

Elsie said, “I’m surprised they didn’t … I thought that was why they invited you.”

Dick laughed once. “No. Who’s this they ?”

“Joxer, and Schuyler. And then there’s my brother-in-law and Mr. Salviatti. I thought they invited all the neighbors. And then some of these people are ones they want to sell to. Maybe they’re going to tell you later. Don’t say I told you, okay? Look, it’s not so bad. I hate to be the one.… I’ve seen the plans and it won’t change much.”

“How much do they figure to make?”

“Oh God, I don’t know. Millions, zillions. You know what it’s like around here.”

The skiff turned a little as it drifted. Dick could see Elsie’s face now that the sun wasn’t in his eyes.

Someone yelled from the dock. Elsie waved and shouted, “We’re coming!”

She leaned forward and touched his knee. “Look, Dick. I really am sympathetic. I was as horrified as you are. But everything west of Pierce Creek is still sanctuary. It’s just a few more houses.” She sat back and said, “Shit. Why am I saying this? I sound like them.”

Dick felt bitterness about Sawtooth Point that he knew he could postpone. What he couldn’t figure out now was Elsie. For a minute there, she’d been talking to him, and he’d been interested in how she opened up about her job, how she thrashed about. He’d always wondered about her and her job. Then, of course, he’d been stunned by this news, but even after that he’d felt she was telling it to him straight enough. When she said she was sympathetic he thought that was so too.

The change wasn’t so much that she got sentimental about the bird sanctuary, whereas he was feeling the old barb of his father’s hospital bill and the loss of Sawtooth Point. He could go her way — he had a soft spot for the sanctuary himself. Was it that she couldn’t go his way and think about money? Not just that. There was her sudden change, her correcting herself, swearing, trying to get her feelings just right — pulling it all back to how she felt.

He began to row again. Her head swung back into the sun. Her face became dark. She said, “I’ve got to …” She leaned back. “Fortunately, I have my month’s leave now. I shouldn’t have told Schuyler I’d help him with his movie. Did you know that’s what he does? Makes short documentaries. He wanted to know if you could take us around some. You have any spare time?”

“Not these days. I got to make some money. And if I do make some money, I got to work on my boat.”

“Well, maybe we could just come along when you pull your pots. I think Schuyler’s got some money to pay.”

“What’s his movie about?”

“He’s got a couple of them going. But one is about South County. He has an educational-TV contract, and he’s got another one for the state tourism people. And part of his investment in the cottage project here is to make a film strip about what a great place it is.”

“Busy fellow.”

Elsie said, “He’s pretty good at it. He’s not just a pretty face.” Elsie laughed at that.

Dick recognized one of the reasons Schuyler rubbed him the wrong way. He was a pretty boy all right. And he looked amused all the time. He looked at this, he looked at that, and was amused. Dick didn’t mind Joxer’s being hearty nearly so much as he minded Schuyler’s looking amused. It figured Schuyler would look at a fishing village and a salt marsh and take pictures. Of what was amusing.

Dick pulled up to the dock, and guests clambered in. Dick got up and helped Miss Perry to the stern seat. As the boat filled up Elsie gave up her seat beside Miss Perry, sat down beside Dick, and took the starboard oar. Elsie’s sister took Elsie’s place and her husband handed her a baby.

“Sally, you remember Dick Pierce? And this is baby Jack — John Dudley Aldrich the third. Can you believe that little eggplant has all those names?”

Dick remembered Elsie at fourteen and fifteen. Sally was the beauty then, Elsie the loudmouth.

Sally ignored the part about her baby. “Yes, of course, Dick Pierce. You haven’t changed at all.”

Dick saw that Sally had. Not for the worse. Before, she could have been any pretty girl. Now, she was softer, she looked a little tired, but her face was her own.

Elsie shoved off and slid her oar out through the oarlock. She said, “All set? And a-one and a-two.”

“This is a rowboat,” Sally said, “not a dance band.”

Dick and Elsie rowed with mild strokes, the boat sluggish with nine people aboard, too much weight forward. Elsie chattered away with Sally and Miss Perry. Old home week. The other guests, most of them newcomers, exclaimed to each other about the view: the Wedding Cake, the island, the pond, how nice, how very nice.