Salt permeates the air so strongly; it could overwhelm those who were not used to the telltale smell of the ocean. Seagulls dive and glide across the dark and steady rolling ocean. Here in Edgartown, it is hard not to be consumed by its beauty. Quaint houses stand confidently along the carefully and thoughtfully named streets, with their once light brown shingles turned to gray from the sediment in the air. Elegant white wrap around porches with extravagant porch swings hug each house. They are so perfect, they look as if they came right out of a movie set. White picket fences stand in front of each and every house supporting gorgeous rose bushes or jaw dropping sunflowers. Driveways made up of white shells or yellow rocks, instantly transport the senses to the ocean. Everything is so intricately designed to embrace the environment of the sea and its wonderful nature.
In the heart of Edgartown, flashbacks of the classic film Jaws cross the mind. The old newspaper store featured in the movie stands unchanged by the effects of time and erosion. Families both big and small take up the sidewalks, teenage boys dressed in Vineyard Vines strut with swagger and ooze confidence. The laughter of young children fills the air as they eat ice cream cones larger than their faces and curious dogs sniff around all the doors of the cozy stores. When looking down the main street, private yachts and boats rest along the docks in the bay. This is the Wyckoff family of five’s favorite spot to consume their delicious sweets after visiting the infamous Scoop Shack. The oldest daughter will do anything to spend her summer days working there. She intends to assemble enough money to support her education and expand her budget all while enjoying the scenery and time off at her favorite place on earth.
The world is a big place; a terrifying one even, but when this scared, little girl travels to her most beloved island, everything melts away like ice cream in the summer sun. It’s almost as if she is being cleansed by the purest water on the planet, washing away all the cuts and scratches from the outside world. The steady paced waves are the arms that hold her tight and let her know that she is well kept. Her quaint and beautiful home stands strong to protect her from the realities of life, shielding her from all responsibilities. Here in Edgartown, the girl’s only responsibility is to soak up the sun. On this beautiful island, everyone is destined to lose him or herself with its mesmerizing design; however, in this paradise whenever you lose yourself, you discover an even better person.
It is this exact reason the little girl has come and gone to this sacred place for the past eleven years. She simply cannot comprehend how a place can be so absolutely perfect in every possible way. The girl has been gushing over her sanctuary to her friends for as long as she could remember, but she never could really do it any justice in her descriptions. It is far more appealing than anyone could portray. It has to be seen and lived in order to fully understand all its glory. To bring her dream of sharing her island with others true, she has brought a friend to accompany her on vacation for the past four years to share its secret loveliness.
Years from now the girl imagines herself inside of her permanent beach house that will be passed down from generation to generation, with all of her college friends living the dream as they traveled from their not-so-distant New England school. Time passes by and she finds herself at the beach by the Edgartown lighthouse with the crisp, salty wind playing with her hair. Her beautifully simple white dress rests on the ground as her train flows behind her. She looks down at her hands and feet. Her toes wiggle in the white sand and her hands firmly hold a bouquet of roses in honor of her grandmother. Her something blue crashes soft waves along the shore just for her special day, she’s never seen them that calm before. Just one glance over her shoulder and she sees all her closest friends and family standing behind her, reflecting the golden sunset in their tears of joy. Standing right in front of her is the man of her dreams, her lifetime, her forever, in the place that will also become their forever. She closes her eyes and imagines her very own children and family all out on the back deck for dinner. Her husband is on the grill while her children run around in the yard, soaking wet in their bathing suits after their quick outdoor shower. Her two golden retrievers chase after them trying to get in on the fun. Surfboards and beach bikes rest along the shed covered in sand after the family’s visit to South Beach. Her youngest daughter, Alex is calmly asleep in her rocker with the help of the ocean waves and warm breeze. Everything is perfect as it always is on the beautiful island.