Editor’s Note: The following is the first part of a two-part short story by Terry Larson, that will continue in next week’s edition of the Press.
It was so fun, flying out of the airport that morning. Tommy’s parents were nervous as usual (when they go on vacation) but this was the longest vacation he had ever taken, and he wasn’t nervous. Tommy was excited.
At 10-years-old, his teacher said he had to keep up his math and reading assignments, so he wouldn’t fall behind the other kids, and here he was, already doing some stuff on the plane.
Tommy lived with his parents in Manhattan. They had a big apartment right next to a park, and he liked where he lived. His parents worked hard and sometimes late at night, but they always told him when they would be home, and they were always on time. He wished his father didn’t have to bring his Blackberry, or for his mom to leave behind her cell phone, but he knew their bosses made them bring them.
Soon their plane landed and they were in Texas. It was his first time there, and Tommy couldn’t wait to see the ocean. His dad got the rental car, and he and his mom waited for the luggage to come down this big chute, so they could leave the airport. It wasn’t a far drive, and soon Tommy and his parents were crossing a very high bridge to a long Island in the distance, Padre Island, he was told.
The condo they had for a home on vacation was nice, and Tommy couldn’t wait to go out on the beach, as soon as he had all his clothes put away in his drawers, his mom said.
Early the next day, Tommy walked out on the pier, where lots of cool boats were parked, just like cars at home, and he sure wished one of them were theirs. That’s when he noticed a big grey pelican sitting on the back of a boat, right by their parking spot on the pier, and he sure was a big, funny-looking bird.
That evening when he came out to the pier again, an old man had just come in from fishing and was parking his boat right where Tommy had seen the pelican sitting. Tommy walked over to the man, and told him he was there with his mom and dad, and asked if he knew where the big pelican was.
“Oh sure kid, he will be here any minute. It’s supper time for old Walter,” answered the man.
“Wow, you know his name, mister?” asked Tommy.
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