The Lighthouse Keeper
TALK TO THE ANIMALS
BY DANIEL W. DRAKE ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Fall is here. The horde of people has thinned and the flocks of migrating swallows have returned to Nantucket this week. They seem to fill the sky with their graceful swooping, as they search for food in preparation for the next leg of their southward journey. Certainly in Madaket they are getting well fed. In the last six weeks, the mosquitoes have come back with a vengeance.

After a hectic summer, it has been difficult to get back into things. One might think, after being diverted from much of what was going on over the course of the summer, that it would be easy to pick up on what is going on and, in the vernacular of the season, run with the ball. Not so. In surveying the broad scene, it just seems like more of the same.

Feeling the need for some inspiration, I went looking for Hawkeye. While the swallows and ospreys, and perhaps even the shadows of a couple of barn owls in the twilight, had attracted attention, the red tail hawks had not been much in evidence of late.

Fortunately, Hawkeye found me just as I was about to descend into a funk.

"What's up?" the great bird said as he swooped into the branch of a pine tree above my head. "It's been a while."

"Yes, it has," I replied. "I have been busy and you haven't been around much. Besides, I am a bit sensitive about talking to you."

"Why is that?" Hawkeye asked.

"Well, as I was walking out of the office just before leaving for Maine…."

"We have heard enough about that trip," the hawk interrupted.

"Yes, that's probably right," I continued, "but just before I left, the editor said to me, kindly enough, but firmly, 'Now, I don't want you finding any lobsters to talk to while you are up there.' I didn't quite know how to take that. I could never talk to a lobster. Where they live is too deep and wet and cold."

After thinking for a moment, Hawkeye said, without sympathy. "You know exactly what he meant! So you avoided me until you got into trouble and now you come looking for help."

"How did you know?" I asked.

The bird just glared at me.

Breaking the awkward silence, Hawkeye continued, "I was just over by that land on the North Shore that some dude bought for $26 million to save it from development. That's a lot of money, but, from my perspective it is worth every penny. There is a lot of good stuff to eat over there. I love free range mice. No trees, so it's easy pickin's. And now Eel Point Road won't get paved either; at least not until the Planning Board finds someone else to browbeat. That's great. I use the dust clouds from passing cars as cover."

"Yes," I said. "What happened is quite something. The Nantucket Land Council deserves tremendous kudos for its open space preservation efforts in the Long Pond-Eel Point area. The great thing is that both the Loring property and this other parcel were saved entirely through voluntary efforts. The people of Nantucket, and this new purchaser in particular, all deserve tremendous credit."

"Another exciting thing that I have been watching closely," the hawk said, "is the move of Sankaty Head lighthouse. I don't usually get out that far, but this is something that has to be seen. The preparations are just about finished. I was thinking of riding on the roof of the lighthouse while it is being moved - there are also a lot of tasty tidbits on that golf course - but I am afraid of getting landsick."

"I am going to try to watch that, too," I said. "It is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Again, it is a tribute to the people on this island that the move is happening at all."

Changing the subject abruptly, Hawkeye asked, "Are you going to vote next week (Tuesday, September 18) on the bond issue to purchase the Island Spirits property for the bus place?"

"If I remember, I will vote. I forgot about the last one of these special elections, in June. That's a bit embarrassing."

After a moment, I went on, "I voted for the purchase at the Special Town Meeting, but I have waffled on the question since then. I get very annoyed, as I have said previously, that projects like this are put in front of the voters on short notice with no apparent plan as to how the project fits in to the broader scheme of things. I won't repeat any more of what I said before, but it is very frustrating.

"You know I agree with you," the red tail responded, "but also you must develop some tolerance. No, there isn't yet a traffic plan. No, there hasn't been any research on whether there is a better alternative location for the buses.

"On the other hand," he went on, "there is no agreement we know of for the use of the electric company property and the Island Spirits property is available in a negotiated sale. Who knows if the price is right? Land values are so crazy on Nantucket. So, sometimes, as difficult as it may be, you just have to be opportunistic and take what comes along."

"Will it really free up those parking spaces? (Every time you turn around more parking spaces are reserved for taxis, police cars or loading zones.) Also, I hear there are environmental issues with that property," I said, "because it used to be a gas station."

"What better place for a bus station?" Hawkeye squawked. "Besides most of downtown is an environmental disaster underground, going back centuries.

"I would vote for the bond proposal," he allowed. "I hate to say it, but a bird in the hand…"

"You're right," I said. "On reflection, I think my first reaction was the correct one and the town should go ahead with the purchase. That doesn't mean, however, that anyone is off the hook for their failure to do anything more than react."

"Enough already," said Hawkeye. "That's the way to go. Vote for it but don't let anyone off the hook."

As he flew off, his parting words were, "Remember to vote on Tuesday - and you didn't have to worry

about a thing, lobsters can't talk." I

The "Lighthouse Keeper" reflects the views of the author and does not represent the editorial position of The Nantucket Independent. Please send any comments to drake@nantucketindependent.com