The weekend routine

Like most (if not all) others on Ocracoke, I live within sight of several rental cottages. This means that, this time of year especially, I see a similar routine every Saturday and Sunday morning: people bringing down their suitcases, towels, beach balls, et cetera, and packing them in their cars, getting ready to head home. Sometimes they look sad (that's how I always looked when I had to leave Ocracoke after a vacation). Sometimes they look relieved (not everyone likes Ocracoke). The kids usually look like they would like a last trip to the beach (and sometimes I do see folks heading out at first light in the morning, to get in a last walk or swim). Usually, they look slightly rushed and quite focused on getting out of the house on time, so they don't miss the ferry. Regardless, I hope that they've enjoyed their time here, and that their travels home will be safe and uneventful.