Home...and listening to your elders

Home! Well, okay, we've been home for a good while now. Things are really hectic in terms of getting caught back up with your normal life after you have been gone for 4 weeks! We had to take down the Christmas trees when we got back, never mind paying the bills, putting the house back in order, and myriad other tasks! I really loved our vacation, but I was (and am) also thrilled to be back home.

Today, I took a walk through Springer's Point. I was sitting on the rocks on the beach when I saw a lone person walking down the beach toward me. I thought it was Roy, who lives down the street, but I wasn't sure. I waited, and as he got closer I realized it was indeed Roy, so I said hello. We ended up chatting and walking back through Springer's Point on the trail together. What a treat that was for me! Roy is 85 years old, doesn't hear all that well, and usually doesn't remember that he already knows me when he sees me, but he remembers a LOT about Ocracoke's past.

As we walked through on the trail, he told me about Sam Jones (who is buried in the nature preserve area). Roy had worked for Sam in the past. When I asked him what year, he wasn't sure, but no matter. He talked about how Sam would give people things they needed (but only if they didn't ask!) and about how much Sam loved his horse, Ikey D., who is buried beside him.

He told me about the house that used to be in the area, and pointed out the spot where he thought it had been. He talked about feeding the birds, and about the recent improvements to the trail, including a new bridge over a low-lying area which used to be quite soggy after a rain, and completely flooded after a good storm.

For a while we walked in silence, enjoying the quiet that characterizes the Springer's Point area. Then Roy stopped and, pointing to the leaves of a particular tree, asked me if I knew what it was. I wasn't sure, but I thought it might be yaupon, so I guessed that. It turned out to be something else entirely. I am terrible at telling trees apart, a fact I shared with Roy. He very patiently explained that you can identify trees by their leaves. Then, as we continued our stroll, Roy pointed out several of the different kinds of trees, pulling a handful of leaves off of each to observe more closely, and told me all their names. We did find a yaupon, and now I know not only what it looks like but how to correctly pronounce the name (at least, how to pronounce it in Ocracoke brogue!)

I enjoyed listening to Roy, and enjoyed his company when we were quiet, too. I have heard that a local photographer is working on a project to record interviews with many Ocracoke elders, and I am pleased that this is being done. In the future, when those who remember old Ocracoke are no longer with us, we will still be able to listen to, and learn from, our elders.