Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Is That the Best You've Got?!

Spring Break - Part Two

The Truman Show saved Spring Break for us. Truly. We watched a VHS copy of it on our first night on the island. We were all slumped over in the floral wicker furniture, squinting at the 10" screen, when the climax of the movie came on.  Jim Carrey (Truman) had finally overcome his fear of the sea and was sailing off into the sunset, when The Creator (Ed Harris) hit him with a massive tsunami.  "Is that that best you've got?!!"  Truman screams, and then goes on to survive the storm, climb the stairs, and bow out of his alternate universe.

I used that as our mantra for the rest of the week.

I used it on Day Two when my daughter and I laid in bed together, alternately puking and hacking, watching "The Killing" marathon on AMC and designing our unfinished basement in Mead wide-rule notebooks purchased from the island market.  The next day I woke up with red cough drops stuck to my body at the 10 and 2 positions - apparently I'm an open-mouth sleeper.

I used it on Day Three while my daughter and husband were at the urgent care clinic for shrimp boat captains and my son and I were being hailed by concerned passers-by as I tried to "drive" and "zip the flaps" on our golf cart.  I also repeated it silently when, at dinner, my daughter leaned back in her chair in the restaurant, lost control, and sailed backwards into a man with a wig on.

I used it on Day Four when my daughter developed a raging fever and my dog relieved herself of a green-colored substance on the master bedroom balcony.  And again that night during a lightning storm when a house nearby burned down.

I used it on Day Five when we discovered bugs in my daughter's hair and my personal space was invaded by some tourists.  We have this vast, expansive stretch of beach to ourselves, but everyone seemed to think we were supposed to snuggle.

Here is what it felt like:


Here is what it actually was:
But there were people behind me that you can't see and I may have some personal space issues.


And I would also like to report a possible murder cover-up by this man, who for some reason brought an adult-sized garden shovel to the beach:


I used it on Day Six when we visited the exclusive beach club during a hurricane watch and my son developed hypothermia from the wind coming off the pool.  Afterwards, my husband started complaining of a sore throat and took a nap, which means the world is ending.  Then he got up and caught a sand shark in the ocean.

I used it when we got home and my husband and I both woke up Easter Sunday with our left eyes caked closed.  But it was Easter, so I called my parents to wish them a happy holiday and regale them with my woes.  My dad said, "You must have felt like you had a can tied to your tail!"  Dad, you hit the nail on the head. 

Speaking of nails, the moment I got off the phone with my parents, my son stubbed his toe and lost the nail.  And THAT was the last thing that happened on our Spring Break.

Some other events occurred during the week, but I don't want to beat a dead horse, and you might start to think I was pulling your leg.  But despite it all, I was proud of the way that we banded together and weathered these storms with some Griswold humor.  It was a beautiful place and as the sun came up every day, we found reasons to crow --- and for that we are truly thankful.

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