Brothers That Crab Together....

Two little boys lay on the pier under the hot sun. The heat is unbearable as they splash water onto the boards to cool them off. The youngest boy has sun bleached curls and the other has almost black hair, brothers. Being four years apart in age, they fight as most brothers do, over silly things that don't matter. The fights never last for long and soon they are again laughing over something silly, the words forgotten and no bruises to show for their momentary anger.

Both little boys are darkly tanned from spending endless hours on the beach, searching for treasures or pieces of driftwood to give to their grandmother as gifts. The week they have spent at the cottage has gone by far faster than they had imagined. The week before they left to head to the cottage they made plans for every moment they would be there, from dawn to dark and beyond. They would blow up the raft and put the small boat in the water every single day. They were so excited they couldn't sleep and spent hours in the dark each night whispering about their plans, so their mom wouldn't hear and tell them to hush.

The day finally arrived to leave and the boys started packing the car before everything was even packed in the containers, they couldn't wait! Frustrated by having to unpack and make sure she had all the stuff they would need for a week, mom wasn't nearly as excited as the boys were. She sure took her sweet time re-doing all the groceries too! But they finally packed the last bag of groceries and left to pick up Grandma. It was excruciating waiting for the adults to load the last items and get settled back in the car again. By this time, the boys were exhausted from waiting to get started, so they both fell asleep in the car for almost the entire ride.

As their mom made the turn onto the road to their cottage, they awoke, as if knowing from the sound of the pavement, they were finally there and the long wait was over. Pulling into the yard the boys couldn't contain themselves any longer. They fell out of the car and scrambled up on their feet, heading straight to the beach at a full run. Of course, mom was calling them back to help take everything into the house first. They looked at each other with a knowing grin and started to grab bags and boxes. The car was unpacked in record time and off they went, leaving their shoes along the way throughout the yard.

Their mother watched as they headed up the beach, smiling and laughing together. This was the way she had always pictured her boys. Enjoying each other and happy to be together on the beach. Of course, she knew that this would wear thin as the days went by, but still..it gave her heart the warmest feeling to watch them run free. There was little to worry about here at the cottage, located on an island that was safe for kids to roam. They had been taught at an early age to honor other peoples property and they respected this, knowing where they could cut through and where they shouldn't. But if no one was home....

The boys soon came back to the house starving. They had forgotten in their excitement that it was well past lunchtime. As soon as they had filled their tummy's with tuna sandwiches, they headed out to get their first order of business on the way, putting the boat in the water. They had never done this on their own before and soon discovered that their uncle must have been doing most of the work. They soon devised a way to hook a rope over both of them, like oxen, and pulled the boat down to the beach. Mom had been watching from the porch, making sure they wouldn't get hurt and deciding to go help with the last stretch over the sand, the toughest part. The boat was finally in the water and they tied it to the jetty while they went to the porch to get all the gear that had to be put in it. The oars, life jackets, extra ropes and their own cooler filled with drinks and bait. They were ready. Boy, it sure took a long time to get here. Oh no! They had forgotten the crab nets, an absolute must have. Another trip up to the house.

Ten minutes later they are happily paddling among the waves, toward their favorite spot to crab. Not too far out in front of the cottage were a set of sand bars. The boys could anchor the boat and get out of the boat to search for crabs, grabbing them stealthily with their nets. Pure joy would cover their faces with each prize they captured. Rowing in was more work than they had remembered and they were tiring after the long day of waiting.

Finally they reached the shore and pulled the boat up onto the sand. Grabbing their prized basket of crabs they found new energy as they hurried to the house to show their catch to their grandmother. Proud and sun burnt, they were delighted when the crabs were put into the pot to cook. The two brothers had provided their grandmother with her favorite thing, crabs. She loved to pick the tender meat from the crabs when they were done, but the boys were a little offended when she asked them to help. After all, they had done the hard part, by capturing them and bringing them to her. They did help for awhile until they were making more mess than help. They were soon allowed to head back out again.

The days were sunny and long, as the boys traveled the beach each day. Their skin turned the color of bronze and their smiles were constant. Not a moment of bickering had taken place and they shared in the delight of the other with each new find. They had collected shells and sea urchins, driftwood and sponges that stank. The treasures were kept on the porch in bushel baskets. Finding that they had filled the baskets and now didn't have anything to put the crabs in, they had to throw some of it back to the beach, letting the waves take it back out to sea again. As they watched it go they weren't even sad, they knew exactly where to find more when they found something to put it in. That was the deal their mom had made with them. As long as it was all kept together in something, out on the porch, they could collect as much as they wanted.

One of the boys, the older of the two, decided as he watched the objects they had found, head out to sea, that some other boys would find them on the other side of the water. They filled much of their time with wonderings of what the other boys would be like, laughing and comparing themselves to the imaginary ones they were sure had found their treasures by now.

Each day was new and exciting for them as they headed out each morning before breakfast. Each night they were asleep as soon their heads hit the pillows. The week had been restful and fun for their mom and grandmother too. Simple meals, mostly crabs, made life easy for them as well. The wonderful week had come to an end though, and it was time to go home. The boys begged to go crabbing one more time. The boat had been pulled to the house and put away, so they would have to go up the beach a ways to a favorite pier. They were told they could go, but to be back in an hour. They yelled thanks as they flew out the door and grabbed the nets, two chicken necks tucked into their pockets for bait.

The grandmother was anxious now to get home, since the time had already been planned to leave and she was getting a little upset that the boys weren't back on time. Their mom, knowing how boys lose track of time, suggested they just pack up the car and drive to the pier and pick them up. Grandma was a bit grizzly at this point, having to spend the time and effort to go pick them up. Mom tried to appease her with the suggestion they stop for lunch on the way home. Somewhat mollified by this suggestion, she dearly loved the shrimp salad at a place that was right on their way, she helped put the final bags in the trunk and got in the car, still not happy.

Their mom knew exactly where they would be. She and her brother had spent many hours there as children and she knew how easy it was to lose track of time. Pulling up close to the pier, but out of sight, they saw the boys. One was lying on his stomach on the pier pulling up, ever so gently, the string with the crab holding onto the chicken. Just it got almost to the pier, the other one swiped the net under it with precision. Jumping up from his position on the pier, the other boy looked into the net with excitement. You would have thought he had pulled gold from the placid water the inlet held by the look on his face. The grandmother had begun to smile as she watched the scene in front of her unfold. Watching the simple joys of being a boy, her heart had melted. The mother said to her, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, as she smiled at her boys in the cut off jeans with no shirts and no shoes. Grandma understood finally, as they sat for sometime watching. The boys were so intent on the job at hand they didn't see them. Sitting in the car patiently waiting now, the grandmother was glad that the boys were so happy and free, seeing them in another world now, all their own. The time they had spent watching the boys had been worth much more than getting on the road to home for grandma. She had found a new appreciation for the crab net that day, and her grand boys.

The memories of the week would fade with time, but this day would stay forever in the memories of the mother. Her boys...sharing moments and a string.

No new toy, or even a new bike could have made those boys happier than they were at that time. The simple joy of crabbing with a net and a string, were more than enough for the two brothers at the cottage.