A Happy Birthday?

Special Gifts

As they prepare to leave the restaurant, young Hunter lingers back to wait for Joe. 'I notice you didn't say where you were going, Pop, do you have a route planned?' he asks quietly.

Immediately Joe picks up on his tone. 'Not really, buddy', he says, watching his grandson with interest.

'Did you have something in mind?' Joe asks.

'I, um, I need, amm. Well ...', Hunter takes a deep breath.

Joe waits patiently, figures there's something significant on the kids mind.

'I'll be eighteen soon and I've always loved your shaving set', Hunter begins, turning a little red across his cheeks. 'I saw some earlier but I don't know which is best and I thought it'd be special to get it here. I know you bought Dad his one in Nantucket and I wondered if ... if you'd like to buy one for me. Or help me pick it out at least', he finished quickly, not waiting to assume.

But he feels his shoulders relax as his grandfather wraps his arm around him and pulls him close.

Joe's voice is a little gruff, 'I think that'd be pretty perfect, Hunt', he says. 'You really stepped up this week, for Nana, for me, for the whole family. I'm very proud of you and I know your father is too. I'd be honored to help you pick it out. And I'd appreciate it if you'd allow me and Nana to buy it for you for Christmas', he says, tapping his fist against Hunter's chest.

He has seen his Pop, his president make that same gesture to so many people. Implicitly he understands the significance of it, the message it relays. Good job. I'm proud of you. I respect you. And he is filled with satisfaction that here on this tiny island he has made his father proud, made his Pop proud and stood up for his Nana who has always been there for him.

Lately he's been feeling his childhood slip away like a boat on the bay slipping its moorings. It's not dramatic, not a huge separation but a natural flow and he knows he is ready to step forward, to step into adulthood. He also knows, with every fiber of his being that his Pop, his mentor will guide him, will steer him in the direction that his father cannot, and he begs himself not to cry.

Joe slips his arm around Hunter's shoulders and walks beside him through the glass doorway. 'Lead the way', he tells him, 'and I'll be right beside you'.

They both know he's not just referring to walking down the street.

Later, when he's finished with Hunter, Joe buys the present he had in mind for Naomi. Next he makes his way to the surf store to find Peter's gift.

He still remembers so many visits there with the two boys back when they were teenagers and a little older. They loved the idea of surfing more than the actual sport itself. He thinks of Jill and the famous butterfly surfboard she once had, years before they ever met, and he spends a wonderful few moments imagining what a view that must have been. His wife's young body, strong and youthful and athletic maneuvering on a surfboard on her beloved Jersey shoreline. He's so caught up in the vision he almost jumps when Spider, the proprietor, emerges from behind a display of boards.

'Hey, Joe, how ya doin', man?' he says, reaching out his hand and they chat and catch up and reminisce about the old days and they exchange stories about the antics of Beau and Hunt back when they were kids.

'Peter left something behind for me?' Joe asks when they're done.

'Yeah, he's a great young man. Your girl did good there. But then, so did he', the once young surfer turned old veteran says. 'I tell ya, he kinda choked me up when he asked me about this', Spider tells him and now Joe is all kinds of curious.

Joe watches as Spider lifts a cardboard box from a shelf behind the counter. From the way he carries it Joe knows whatever is in there is delicate. Spider reaches in and carefully extracts something.