Under the Roof

Perhaps encouraged by the hot sunny weather, this is the summer of the houseguest. Hard-working Islanders know the script, which goes something like this:

Guest: Oh, we’d love to come for just a night. Would that be any trouble? I know you are working.

Islander: No trouble at all. There’s coffee in the freezer, milk, juice and homemade bread in the fridge. Jam from last year’s blueberries is in the cupboard. Farm stand, fish markets and liquor store are just down the road. Help yourself. See you after dinner. Don’t worry about us, we don’t eat much after breakfast, we’re busy working, it’s too crowded to go out for food and anyway there’s nothing healthy to eat on the streets of Edgartown.

Then the e-mail arrives.

Guest: Oh, would it be okay if we stayed an extra night? We’ve got some other friends coming into town. And we would love to take you out for cocktails and dinner.

Islander: Of course, it’s fine to come for an extra night. But sorry, we can’t go out for drinks and dinner, we’ll be working.

Guest: But we insist! You can join us after work!

Islander: Thanks, but after work we feel so grimy and tired we can’t really do much except come home and have a nice, warm bath and a cold beer and fall into bed.

And dream of September.