The Summer of Salsa

I was remembering the other day about all the people we’ve known as neighbors. We’ve been very lucky in that department. We’ve had wonderful neighbors some of whom have become lifelong friends.

Then there were the ones who came and went fairly quickly.

I was recalling the family who didn’t really live in the neighborhood, per se. They kept their boat in the neighborhood. On the empty lot across the canal from us. A large cabin cruiser with no engines and in need of a total overhaul.

At least that’s what we thought they were going to do with it. It’s not uncommon for people to buy boats in rather disheveled condition to fix up. Sometimes it’s the only way for it to be affordable. One day it appeared on the empty lot across the canal. It was an older, wooden cabin cruiser. Nice lines. Looked to be about 40’.

The first weekend several cars pulled up on the lot and a handful of people tumbled out of their cars and boarded the boat. We expected to hear scraping and pounding, your basic working noises. What we heard was music and laughter.

I understand music while working helps to pass the tedium. But there were no ‘working’ noises.

And then more cars pulled onto the lot. And more people got out and boarded the boat.

The next weekend the same thing. And every weekend there were more and more cars and more and more people.

The sound system got more sophisticated and picnic tables were added to the landscape of the lot. Along with a BBQ and garbage cans.

For an entire summer they came and partied all weekend. Lively music and wonderful cooking smells.

And then one day the boat kind of ‘sank’ into the lot. We woke up one morning and there it sat leaning menacingly to the side.

That weekend the picnic tables disappeared along with the BBQ and trash cans. We never saw them again.

The boat sat there for quite a long time until the town declared it a hazard and hauled it away.

I thoroughly enjoyed that ‘Summer of Salsa‘, even if I didn’t get to taste the food!

Arriba!