Life With A Fisherman
Chapter 12: My Birthday Letter

The next few months just weren’t the same without Captain Ben. I kept up with the traps and everything, but it just wasn’t the same. One morning, I was at the graveyard. The sun was just coming up over the lagoon. I was supposed to be at the dock meeting Maggie, but I just had to go sit with my old friend before starting the day. Maggie knew just where I was when I didn’t show up at the boat. She came down to the gravesite, and there I was. I had tears running down my cheeks. My stomach felt empty all the time. She came over to me, taking me by the hand. “Cappy,” he’s not here. He’s out there,” she said, pointing to the water. “He is with you everywhere you go. He is your light. It’s time for you to shine again.” I looked at her, and before I could say a word, she said, “Oh no, Cappy, do you think for one minute Captain Ben would want you feeling like this? No, my Cappy, he wouldn’t. He wants you out riding the waves and winds of the sea. He will be in your hart forever.”

And my God, she was right. After those words, I started getting over my loss of my best friend, and I knew he was always watching over us. That year came to a end. Dad’s arm had healed up fine, but he seemed to always know when it was going to rain from the pain he would get the day before the storm. Over the next few months, I slowly built my dreams on my dock. I put in a little trading post and a scale house that Dad could buy fish from the other islanders. He would then sell them in New Bedford with my lobsters. We here doing just fine, and my next step was to put in a diesel tank for filling motor boats. There were quite a few small motor boats coming to my dock to sell fish, and all the fishermen asked if I had fuel. Just about every penny I made went to the building of my dream dock.

One morning, Maggie came down to the dock early to meet me before going out to check the trap line. “Come with me, Cappy!” she shouted. We went up the hill on my property where I never go. We watched the sun come up. It was beautiful and a sight to see. I still think of that morning. This spot was at the point of the property that overlooks the ocean and my dock. There was a little fireplace and a picnic table. “Happy birthday, Cappy!” she yelled . “I’m going to make you breakfast.” It was my 16th birthday, and I totally forgot it. “I’m 16 today!” I shouted. How in the world I forgot about my birthday I’ll never know, but Maggie remembered. “We are going shore fishing today.And maybe I’ll let you catch one bigger than mine,” she said as she laughed. Well, of course she caught the biggest fish again. She always does. Anyhow, we fished all morning, and it was time for lunch. We decided to bring the fish up to the house and get the smoker fired up. While walking up the trail to the house, I smelled food cooking, and I heard people talking. Just as my house was in sight, I heard, “Happy birthday, Captain Cappy!” There were over 200 people at the house. There was even an old-fashioned band playing “Happy Birthday.” It was my surprise party. Everybody was singing and having the time of their lives. It was a day to remember, my 16th birthday.

It was almost nightfall when a horse and rider came down the trail from Edgartown. It was the postmaster, and she came right over to me. “I have a letter for you, Captain Cappy,” she said. I had no idea who the letter was from, Everybody I knew was here, and I’d never received a letter before in my life. She climbed off the horse and dug into her pouch. She pulled out the letter and handed it to me. “I’ve had this letter addressed to you since you were 11 years old, Cappy. I was instructed to deliver it today on your 16th birthday. I looked at the letter. It read: To Cappy, From Captain Ben. I looked at Mom and Dad, then Maggie. I ran as fast as I could to the ocean. I started crying like a little babe. I reached the water and sat down in the surf. I looked at the letter for a while. I couldn’t bring myself to open it. Finally, after a while, I tore it open. There was a letter and two pieces of paper folded in it. I started reading the letter. Tears were running down my face.

The letter read: “To young Captain Cappy. If you are reading this letter, it’s because I’m watching you from the sea and sky. Always know that I’m with you as you ride the waves that I taught you to ride. You are the only family I’ve ever had, and you are like my son to me. I never told you how much I love you in life, but as I’m gone, remember that I love you. And always remember that I’m right here next to you. I’ve watched you grow from childhood to the man you are today. I took you under my wing and gave you the gift of wisdom of the sea. You are the best captain that I’ve ever trained. It has been my blessing to sail with you. On your 16th birthday, I give you my treasures as a gift. In this envelope is the deed to my house. It’s yours now and everything that I had in life. Also, you will replace a map to my life’s bounty. As you read the map, remember the things that I taught you of the sea. Happy birthday, my young Captain Cappy and farewell. P.S. Stop crying over me and have a shot of rum for me. It’s your birthday. Love your friend, Captain Ben.”

It took me a while, but I gathered myself and went back to my party. I showed my dad the letter. And Dad and I had a shot of rum. We told no one of the map. But we did show people the deed that was left to me. This deed added 75 acres of prime ocean land to my already-owned property. I had just become one of the biggest land owners in Oak Bluffs. Well, the next day came fast. I told Maggie that I would meet her at her house, that I had something to tell her. I wanted to show her the letter but with no one else around. This was to be our secret, and only my dad knew about it. I went to her house, and then we went to my new house “the Barnacle.” Maggie sat down, and I gave her the letter. When she started crying, I did all I could do not to, too. “Maggie, I’ve something to ask you, but I can’t ask till tonight. Please meet me at our spot on the point where we had breakfast yesterday.” She had no idea what I was talking about and didn’t ask. I’ve got some thinking to do now, and I’ll meet you tonight there just before the sun goes down. And I left.

I went down to my boat and headed for Edgartown, I had to meet my dad’s ship before he pulled out on his fishing trip. I pulled into the harbor and Dad’s boat was gone. “Oh no!” I yelled. “I then looked out at the horizon and saw its sails. It was just in sight, and I had to catch her. Off I went, full throttle. I was jumping waves all the way out, but I caught up to her. “Captain Red!” I yelled. I already had the crew’s attention. They saw me coming like a maniac. They all thought there was something wrong on the island. “What’s the matter, Cappy ?” Dad shouted. I replied, “I need to talk to Mr. Whitehead.” “What can I do for you, Captain?” Mr. Whitehead yelled. I replied, “Sir I would like to ask your daughter’s hand in marriage.” The whole ship went quiet as he looked at me for a minute that felt like a day. “Why yes, you have my blessing, Cappy.” Then he shouted, “Don’t get married until we return!” They all started laughing. I was probably the talk of the ship that day. I turned my boat and headed back to the bluff. It was the longest day of my life. I was a nervous wreck. I went up to the house and pulled my box of money out from under my bed. In it was Gram’s engagement ring. Mom had given it to me years ago for my wife-to-be. It was finally time to go get a nice dinner started. I went to that beautiful spot and started cooking lobster, corn on the cob and baked potatoes. I had the picnic table all set, as best as a fisherman can anyhow.

I was just pulling the boiled crawls out of the pot as Maggie arrived I yelled, “Surprise!” And she smiled and sat down. She had no idea what was on my mind. Not a clue. We talked, laughed and just had a great time. The sun was just starting to set. I got up from the table grabbed her hand as she sat there facing me, and I knelt down to her. She looked at me and then knew what was on my mind. She turned red. I asked, “Maggie, will you take my hand for now and forever?” She jumped on me, and we rolled on the ground. “Yes!” she shouted. “Yes!” “We will marry as soon as our new house is built right here on this spot,” I said. “This will make a great spot for our new beginning.” I couldn’t wait to have the new house built. I pulled the island carpenters and mansions together. I told them just how I wanted the house built, with a full basement and two fireplaces, one at each end of the house. And I wanted 20 rooms, with a great room and huge kitchen. I wanted the biggest house on the island and plenty of room for the family that I wanted. The house went under construction that week and was completed four months later. We had a very big wedding that fall. We were married at the stone church, and the reception was at the Whitehead’s house. We spent a three-day honeymoon on the island of Nantucket. It was one of the best times of my life. We were married at the age of 16 and are still married today. Maggie and I have been together for over 70 years, and each new day is like the first. I’ll never forget the day we looked for Captain Ben’s map he had left me.