Forefather's Day 2019

The day finds me reflecting on Cape Cod an my departed Navy buddy, Jerry Landry as he was my connection to that place and he held nothing back from me when I visited several times in a younger day.

Today is Forefathers Day, a holiday celebrated in Plymouth, Massachusetts, since 1769 commemorating the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth on December 21, 1620.

That heritage for which Jerry held so much pride escaped me prior to that time I stood there looking over Plymouth rock and the cranberry bogs, and the Coast Guard base and all that ocean and bay.

In the evenings when collecting my thoughts I often return there and wistfully remember those days when Jerry was around and there were yuks to be had.

He was always so proud of Cape Cod and that indigenous part of The Republic he represented while I remained just an "indian" in the context of historical representations and totally lacking that serenity he exuded at all times.

I used to call him a "pollyanna capecodese" and he called me a sasquatch.

I miss him and the cape so much to this day but I don't think it would be the same without him.