by David Harp
Chapter 2
Bayport
The weather for the trip was ideal. Winter was still raging up North, but an early Florida spring provided an effective distraction from Becky’s despair.
The vacation reinforced the bond between mother and daughter. Becky was enthralled with the glass bottom boats at Silver Springs. Haley could not stop recounting their trip to Disney World.
Two days before their scheduled trip home, Camille invited them to go on an excursion down the west coast of the peninsula. They got an early start and spent the morning at Homosassa Springs. Haley was mesmerized by the manatees.
They drove to Weeki Wachee Springs after a quick lunch to attend the mermaid show. Before heading to the sponge docks in Tarpon Springs, Camille insisted on a short side-trip west on Cortez Boulevard to view the Gulf of Mexico.
The landscape which began as sandy scrub soon changed to marshland with hundreds of meandering channels. Islands of pine dotted the horizon and the sun sparkled like diamonds on the gulf water in the distance.
As they approached the small community of Bayport, it appeared to rise from the marsh like the mystical city of Brigadoon. Giant moss-covered oak trees towered over antebellum homes nestled on the edge of the world.
Haley was the first to notice a large ornamental pink house set well back from the highway. There was an elegant carved sign at the entrance, “Rebecca’s Dollhouse.”
“Aunt Camille, look! It’s Mom’s dollhouse; may we please stop?”
“Maybe on the way back,” Camille replied.
They drove another block to a public park and walked onto the pier overlooking the Gulf. A pod of dolphins was playing near shore. One of them swam toward them.
“That’s Hercules,” said a booming male voice. Becky was startled, instinctively pulling Haley close. She turned around to see a scruffy looking old man with a wide smile which revealed several missing teeth. He pointed to three other dolphins coming toward the pier. “Those over there are Aphrodite, Euripides and Cleopatra,” he said with an air of authority.
Becky held Haley’s hand tightly. “I’m sorry, but I don’t let my little girl talk to strangers.”
“I understand. I’m Renee,” the old man said as he leaned forward while winking at Haley.
Becky pulled Haley closer and turned away from the man. “Let’s go,” Becky said curtly.
A woman with three young children was walking onto the pier as Becky, Camille and Haley were leaving.
“Watch your kids. There’s a strange old man out there,” Becky warned.
“Oh, you must mean Renee,” the woman replied. “He’s the sweetest man you’ll ever meet. Everyone around here knows him. The kids adore him.”
Becky was surprised. The woman must be referring to someone else, she thought. “Are you talking about that dirty vagrant?” She pointed to Renee.
“He’s not a vagrant,” the woman laughed. “He hangs around the pier telling stories and helping people. He works locally as a gardener, but I think he’s actually a retired doctor.”
As they walked away, Becky remembered how some people recoiled when they first saw Haley’s eyes. It made her angry because she knew how it hurt Haley’s feelings. Becky wondered if she had done the same thing to the old man.