Boating, Shells and Family

12. The first time I ever met your family, from what I could remember was when you invited me to go boating to bless some fishing grounds. Among several business ventures, your family was involved in fishing. I could not refuse the opportunity to bond with your family, and it was only polite that I do so since we’ve been dating for quite a few weeks. You were the eldest among four boys, and I was amazed at how your mother raised all of you.  I had the impression of a superwoman, actually, she could do everything and more for her family and still manage her business.  She is a great cook, and would always go out of her way to make you feel at home, plus she was very cheerful and talkative. Much like you. Your father is the opposite of your mother, he is more strict, reserved, and according to you, more temperamental.  Your brothers even joked how they liked having me around because your father can’t  scold them in front of me. Your brothers, all different, were happy to meet me. Since they never had a sister before, they initially didn’t know how to act in my presence. Was I the first girlfriend you brought home? As they warmed up to me though, I found them all down to earth, bright and very interesting.  I also met some of the extended members of your family, your uncles, aunts, cousins and grandmother.  As you can imagine, having so many members of your family at one time, made me quite nervous but I was impressed at how close you all were. You truly liked each other’s company, and it felt a bit like a celebration every time you were together.  We went boating on a pump boat, and it was the first time I’ve ever been on one and I was so excited. I wasn’t very clear on the concept of blessing a fishing ground though. I thought a priest would be involved. Basically we just drove around the vast fishing grounds and threw coins in the water and said little prayers.  Then, after, you showed me a special area where the water was shallow, up to my waist. We went down the boat, and I was shocked when my feet touched the sea floor, which wasn’t a floor at all, it was a soft, though squishy and slimy, bed of green shells.  We pulled some of them up and threw them in the boat. Some of the men said they would make great soup. We laughed as our feet got stuck in the bed, like quicksand, didn’t even care when our feet got little nicks. Your family then took me to another special area, a little sandbar and we had a blast chasing each other around, gathering shells and poking at little crabs, splashing each other with water. You even carried me around at some point. And it was safe to say that your family has indeed approved of our relationship. And I was more relieved than you could imagine.