The rain outside trickled down the windows of Howes House in West Tisbury last Tuesday morning as Jeanne Hewett began reading a piece written by fellow Howes House writer Charles Blank, who could not attend the event. The story included images of playtime for a little boy, with games of war and pirates using twigs and branches as weapons.

“What is it about males that they always played war?” asked Brigitta Lent at the end of the reading. “Even a gentle soul like Charles?”