Adventures at the Bean

On this stormy late Sunday afternoon, Adam and I decided to ride bikes to the Bean and have some ice cream. Just our kind of low-key date. Adam has borrowed a recumbent bike for a bit to try it out. He likes it. He says it feels like he's riding a Harley. Ha! I reckon it's those handlebars.

That's the Bean in the background above. Oh, by the way, here's a really cool house that I pass every day. Nobody lives there. It's an old Oriental home. Somebody really should do something fun with it, don't you think? If only they'd give houses to the people who would appreciate them most ....

Anywho, we sat on the Bean porch under a glowering sky, watching boats come and go. This lovely wooden river cruiser left with a party.

The harbor currents became swirly in the weather. We knew we'd get sprinkled on. I enjoyed my chocolate nutty coconut ice cream, and Adam enjoyed his peaches and cream.

On the porch we found a couple we know. I'll call them Fred and Sally. They're very fun and entertaining. They're dating. Fred is a fisherman and has a simple fishing skiff. He arrived at the Bean in that boat, pulling Sally behind in this:

Fred wipes the rain off the seat for Sally.

I giggled inside at this bit of frivolity. This is silly even by Oriental standards, but Fred is a young-at-heart kind of guy, and always up for a lark, as the Brits say. Here's their get-up:

After drying off the dragon seat for Sally, Fred started his motor. I held Sally's lines for her as she mounted her steed. Now ladies, you will agree with me that only a particular type of woman can ride through the harbor like this, with equanimity. I liked her even more as I watched it all.

And they're off! In pouring rain. We returned to the porch to watch. Fred got things a bit turned around, and Sally's dragon was on the wrong side of the boat, and they were about to get the line caught in his motor, so they had to maneuver around .... For a bit, it looked like the dragon was going to lead.

She has a willing, adventurous spirit!

Finally, Fred got things straightened out. I was afraid he would yank Sally's dragon out from under her, when he revved up his engine. He headed into the anchorage just as a massive power boat was backing in, and he passed right under its nose! Sally is such a trooper.

There they go! See his skipper hat?

And this is a large part of why I love Oriental. Clearly there are people here even more unusual than I am, and that is such a comfort.

Then again, you also have plenty of people who spend their money and time on whopping big power boats that cost an arm-and-a-leg to run -- here are two, nearly identical, next to each other.

I can't help but wonder if they are quirky, interesting people, or rather boring. Personally, I bet Fred and Sally were having more fun. What do you think?