TheBanyanTree: A Flock Of Kites

[NancyIee at aol.com]

Today we had to cross the Skyway Bridge to St. Petersburg. It is an 
engineers' marvel, lifting upward on golden cables over Tampa Bay, then leveling off 
across a roadway on water. I looked out across the slightly misty and swirling 
waters of the bay and the distant ghosts of a downtown far beyond.

As we descended toward St. Petersburg, we looked down on the fishing pier and 
a narrow beach where Sunday outers recre-ace, fished, thigh-deep in the 
shallows or in small boats, picniced on the stony beach or picked shells . .or jet 
skied out into the choppy bay.

The water was rough today, with tilting sailboats and white caps, and wind 
stiff enough to nudge my van as we rolled along.

Then we saw them, brightly colored kites, shaped like the quarter moon, 
flying high above the dark waters.  Where were they coming from, we asked 
ourselves. No one on the beach had the kite fliier's stance. They were too far out over 
the bay to be tethered from the beach anyway. They soared as birds seeking 
thermals, climbing higher and higher, darting and spinning.

They ducked and dodged and strained against their lines, swooping and 
twirling in the gusty wind. A flock of mad kites, wingspans measuring three feet or 
more. Magnificent splashes of bright colors dancing in the air.

We then saw they were tied to the fleet and bouncing jet skis skipping over 
the waves. A dozen. Two dozen. What a sight. What amazing fun. I envied them 
those kite fliers, and let off the gas, wanting nothing more than to leave the 
highway and join them.

But, I was too adult, dammit. I had places to go, people waiting for us, 
important duty.

We watched them as long as we could, until they even flew out of range of my 
mirrors.

One day, I swear, I will get a jet ski, go out into the wild waves of the 
bay, and fly a colored kite.


NancyLee