February 2013

The plane taxis down the short runway alongside the water’s edge. When it reaches the end, the pilot makes a slow 180-degree turn, halts momentarily, then proceeds full speed. The huge aircraft lifts off with the thrust of its engines, climbs through scattered clouds, banks and heads out to sea. She peers down on the rough Atlantic swells, far from the gentle Caribbean side where she spends her days and languishes by night. She glances back at the mysterious peaks, pays homage to the jungle-covered hillsides and watches the pattern of galvanized roofs and multicolored cottages recede until they disappear. She strains for a last fleeting glimpse of the island through the floating wisps of clouds and wonders – how long before she will return. Read More »