After Biloxi we drove through Alabama (briefly) to Fort Walton, Florida, and the Emerald Coast. The sand there was so white that it looked like snow, wonderfully contrasting with the dark green vegetation and the green water. It was the first time we really enjoyed the beach, as the west coast hadn’t been warm enough to swim or even sunbathe.
It was the first time I had been in the ocean in years. When I first approached the water, I took several uncertain steps in, wary of whether I could withstand the various layers of motion: The floor dipped and rose in unpredictable places, the waves pushed and pulled me from all around, and the wind added its own determined sway. I was a bit scared that I would get sucked in or that the forces would somehow pull me apart. It all made me think back to how I had felt in the months and even years leading up to our leaving home, how my body and mind had gotten caught up in endless movement that I feared would topple me if I forgot where I was for even a moment…
For Fisher and Milo, this was their very first time in the ocean. Fisher talked about having the most fun he’d had in a while, as we held hands and faced the oncoming waves, which often knocked us over into fits of laughter. He seemed to bounce back from annoyance that day (after being stung by a small jellyfish and then preyed on by pushy seagulls) better than most days. Milo had laid on the sand closer to the beach, delighting in the smaller waves as they gently carried him up and then pulled him back. One of the best parts was having the unusual opportunity to squeal and shout as much as we wanted, which made our time afterwards all the more relaxing.
A highlight of our stay in Fort Walton, besides the bright beach and warm ocean, was finding a good sushi restaurant – interestingly named “Dosirak House” – that made unique (and tasty) rolls with friendly, family-oriented service.
One of the dodgier moments took place on the last of the four nights we spent at the motel. Shortly after the kids had gone to sleep, Eric and I heard a loud noise in the open-air hallway, at the end of which, about four doors down, was a balcony next to the stairs. When I opened the door to have a look, I saw a woman in a wedding dress trying to talk down (who I assumed to be) her groom, who was in a shirtless rage, rattling the balcony railing, and leaning over it while being held back by another man. The bride apologized for the noise, trying to convince me everything was okay, and I felt bad for this young woman who, on her wedding day no less, was having to manage this stressful situation. I closed the door, and when the commotion went on for a while longer, I phoned down to the office to suggest they call the police, concerned that the man was going to try to hurt himself, given how he seemed to want to get over the fifth floor balcony. A short time later the woman working the front desk called me back to say the sheriff was on his way. The apparently drunk and angry groom continued shouting and pacing, and a few other wedding guests arrived, including a bridesmaid. Eventually the sheriff arrived, too, and by then the groom was calmer, and the sheriff took him into his room to talk. I found out the next morning, from the same staff member at the front desk, that a family member of the groom had said or done something at the wedding, which was what had made him angry, and explained why he and his new wife had gone to the motel early (it was before 10pm when the blow-up happened). The couple ended up leaving the motel entirely, spending the night at a parent’s house. In hindsight, I’m glad the safety of the bride hadn’t been an issue, that she was concerned only with her husband’s fury and the disturbance it caused to others. When I had initially opened the door to see what the noise was about, before the police were called, she didn’t look fearful, which made me less fearful for her.
Moving on from Fort Walton, we went to Tallahassee, Florida’s state capital, for only one night and our 50th stay, and excitedly anticipated the following day’s arrival at Disney World…