Editors, Vineyard Gazette;

I get to meet many a sweet soul as they pass by my window at the West Tisbury transfer station. Once I was gifted a small maple-shaped bottle of syrup for the Christmas holiday. I replied: “Aw, you didn’t have to do that, your presence is always more than enough.”

To which they replied: “It’s just something from our place up north.”    

Hey, some time ago, my Grampy had a camp up north. My mother had mentioned he had a neighbor there — a real mountain gal, (poor only by monetary standards), living off the land. She was once quoted as saying: “They never should have named muskrat that, it really is sweet and good tasting.”

Her name, I recalled, was Freda.

My friend looked me square in the eye and said: “We have her place!”

I was so taken with this kismet coincidence that I got right on the horn to my sister and suggested we head up! It had been decades since we had last been, when we scattered Mum’s ashes.

So my sister and I headed up, and while visiting the old mountain spot we ended up bumping into the newest owner of Gram and Grampy’s camp, along with her gal pal who was holding a colander of blueberries to her hip. Introductions were made and our stories were patched together with much fondness

Nostalgia — such a beautiful and twisted dance. How my mother wished things were different and she could have kept that place in the family. But it was good walking on the old land, a trip inspired by a kind deed at our town dump, just one of many given to me on a weekly basis.

So, thanking all of you, for all you give me. Our bonds have become special and strong indeed over these years, and hope will continue to do so.

Fondly,

Kristen Norman,
Goddess on Duty, West Tisbury landfill