“I want to be in the Island Club,” I said.
“Me, too,” said David Michael.
“Come, we will get you signed up,” said Daddy.
“I will take Andrew and Emily to join the Dolphin Club,” said Elizabeth.
“I am going right over to sign up for the golf tournament,” said Nannie.
We all stopped and looked at Nannie.
“Golf?” said Charlie. “You play golf?”
We know Nannie is an excellent bowler. She has even won trophies. We did not know she was a golfer, too.
“Oh, I’ve golfed a bit in my day,” replied Nannie. “Anyway, the tournament is open to anyone thirteen and over. It is being held on Friday. I will sign up for lessons and games during the week. By Friday I will be ready to win.”
“I am sure you will be a very good golfer,” said Laura. “But remember there may be people here who golf all the time. It might be hard to beat them.”
“I will just work harder than they do,” replied Nannie. She returned to the activities desk to sign up.
Charlie and Kristy signed up for wind-surfing. Sam was still deciding what to do.
Elizabeth took Andrew and Emily to join the Dolphin Club. And Daddy took David Michael and me to join the Island Club. A girl was on line in front of us with her parents. She looked just my age.
“I am not sure I want to join a club,” I heard her say.
“But you can swim and play games with other children,” said her mother.
“The activity will be good for you,” said her father.
The girl seemed worried. But she signed up anyway. Then she followed her parents while they picked out the things they wanted to do. They had a long list.
After my family had signed up for their activities, we all put on bathing suits and went for a swim in the ocean. (Really Emily went for a splash. She does not know how to swim yet.)
Then we returned to our rooms to dry off and get ready for dinner. There were three restaurants at Palm Isle. We decided to try Coconut Creek first. When we arrived, we were given their biggest table. It was right by a window.
“Can we explore the island tomorrow?” I asked.
“That is a good idea,” replied Daddy. “We will do that first thing in the morning.”
All right! I could hardly wait.
A Surprise Tour
We ate an early breakfast on Sunday. Then we went to the hospitality desk. We found out that a hotel bus was giving a tour of the island.
“I think it would be more fun to go on our own,” said Daddy. “I have an idea. I will be right back.”
Daddy found Robert, our bus driver. He knew someone who could help us.
“My cousin, Trevor, is a taxi driver. He knows all the best places to go,” said Robert.
Ten minutes later we were piling into Trevor’s van. Trevor was just as nice as Robert. I could tell our tour was going to be fun.
“Is there anything special you would like to see on the island?” asked Trevor. “Or should I surprise you?”
“I love surprises!” I said.
“We will leave our tour to you,” said Daddy.
“Let me see,” said Trevor. “Ah, yes. I know just the place. It is on the other side of the island.”
Along the way Trevor pointed out lots of churches. And he showed us the school his children go to. It was a long wooden building with a porch around it. It did not look anything like Stoneybrook Academy.
“Over there are sugar plantations. We grow a lot of sugar on St. Philip. That is why our island is so sweet,” said Trevor with a smile.
We drove up a steep hill and down the other side.
“Wow! Look at the water,” said David Michael.
“That must be the Atlantic Ocean,” said Sam.
“Is that our surprise?” I asked.
“No, it is not,” replied Trevor. “Wait and see.”
We drove along the coast to the tip of the island. A wood sign stuck in sandy ground said Pekita’s Cave.
“Who is Pekita?” asked Kristy.
“You will meet her soon,” replied Trevor.
Daddy paid for us to go inside and we drove through the gate.
“Maa! Maa!” A black and white sheep trotted to the van to say hello.
“Here is Pekita,” said Trevor. “Later she will join us for lunch. You better watch out. She loves orange soda.”
I waved good-bye to Pekita as we walked into the cave.
“See you later,” I said.
We were the only ones inside. We walked a little way and soon we saw huge columns of stone. They seemed to be growing from the roof and the walls. Some seemed to be growing up from the ground.
“The stones hanging down are called stalactites. The stones growing up are called stalagmites,” said Trevor. “It took thousands of years for them to grow.”
The cave was becoming darker and darker. Emily started whining. I think she was scared. Then we turned a corner and saw the sun. And we could see the ocean!
There were openings in the rock walls, like windows. The windows were in the shape of animals. I peered through a whale window. The ocean splashed my face. It was fun being inside and out at the same time.
“This place is cool,” said David Michael, looking through a pony-shaped window.
I ran to one shaped like a cat’s head.
“This was an excellent surprise,” I said to Trevor.
We zigzagged through the cave and came out where we started.
“Lunchtime,” said Trevor.
I bought a fish sandwich and a bottle of orange soda at the refreshment stand. I was almost finished eating when Pekita nuzzled me.
I tipped the bottle up so she could take a drink. She finished every drop of soda. Then she licked the bottle.
“Maa!” said Pekita.
“You are welcome,” I replied.
The Island Club
I jumped out of bed Monday morning and got dressed fast. It was going to be my first day at the Island Club.
My family ate breakfast in the coffee shop. Then we went our separate ways. Elizabeth and Daddy took Emily and Andrew to the Dolphin Club. Then they were going to take a swim. Charlie and Kristy headed for the beach to go windsurfing. David Michael and I went to the poolhouse where the Island Club was meeting.
“Have fun, everyone,” called Nannie. She was on her way to her first golf class.
“I will walk with you,” said Sam. “I decided to play golf, too.”
Huh? I knew Sam had taken golf classes in high school. But I did not think he liked them. Oh, well. He would probably have more fun golfing on St. Philip.
When David Michael and I arrived at the poolhouse a bunch of kids had already gathered round. There were also two counselors. They looked about the same age as Sam and Charlie. They were wearing T-shirts that said Island Club Staff and sun visors with their names written on them. They were Jenny and Mark.
“Are you kids signed up for the club?” asked Jenny.
“Yup,” I replied.
“Great. We are waiting for a few more kids to show up. I am your head counselor, Jenny. This is my assistant counselor, Mark,” said Jenny.
The girl who had been on line ahead of me on Saturday was already at the poolhouse. I was glad she was there. The other kids looked either older or younger than me.
“Hi,” I said to her. “My name is Karen. What’s your name?”
“Sandy,” replied the girl.
That was all she said. I asked how old she was.
“Seven,” she replied. She did not ask how old I was. I told her anyway. Then I told her where I was from.
“I live in Stoneybrook, Connecticut. Where do you live?”
“Rhode Island.”
She did not say any more. I guessed she was shy. I tried again to be friendly.
“I think this club will be fun, don’t you?” I said.
“Uh-huh.”
“Okay, kids. Here is the plan,” said Jenny. “First, you are
all going to get sun visors like mine. You can decorate them with your names. That way we can get to know each other. We have markers, squeeze paints, glitter, and glue. If you need anything else just holler.”
Oh, goody. I like to holler. When I holler at home or in school, grown-ups remind me to use my indoor voice. Now I could holler anytime I wanted.
I picked up one of the sun visors and set to work. I squirted glue in the shape of the letter K on the front. Then I sprinkled hot pink glitter on it. I made every letter of my name a different color.
While the sun visors were drying, we went to the beach to swim. Jenny told us to pick water buddies.
“Do you want to be my buddy today?” I asked Sandy.
Sandy shook her head. “I am not going swimming.” She walked away before I could ask why.
A girl named Sara picked me to be her buddy. Jenny started a game of freeze tag in the water. It was fun.
Then we went for a seashell hunt on the beach. Sandy seemed to like that. Sandy was quiet. So maybe she only liked to do quiet things.
I am noisy. But I like to do everything. Noisy things and quiet things.
I loved my first day at the Island Club. I would love it even better if Sandy would be my Island Club friend.
Shopping for Souvenirs
On Monday afternoon Kristy and I went shopping in town with a group of people from the hotel. I wanted to buy souvenirs for Mommy, Seth, Hannie, and Nancy. And I wanted to get something special for Daddy’s birthday. Robert drove the van to town.
“How do you like it here so far?” he asked.
“I do not like it,” I said. “I love it!”
“That is what I like to hear,” replied Robert.
We reached the town in no time. It was bustling with people. The biggest crowd was at the Cheap-Stop Food Market. It took up about four blocks. Everywhere you looked were tables piled high with fruits and vegetables. The people behind the tables were wearing fruit-colored clothes — lime green, banana yellow, watermelon pink.
“Can we stop and get something here?” I asked Kristy. “The bus was hot and I am thirsty.”
“Me, too,” replied Kristy. “But we have to hurry. We want to leave enough time to shop for souvenirs.”
We found a very cute little watermelon and decided to share it. When the woman who had sold it to us cut it open, we were surprised. It was yellow inside instead of pink.
“Taste it,” she said. “It is sweet and juicy.”
Kristy and I tasted the watermelon. It was the best we had ever eaten. We giggled at how much juice dribbled down our chins. While we ate, we walked along a narrow, winding street. We stopped at a sign that said Sally’s Souvenir Shop.
“I bet I can say that three times fast,” I said. “Sally’s Souvenir Shop. Sally’s Souvinseer Sop. Sassy’s Soupincheer Chop.”
“Come, Karen. Let’s go inside,” said Kristy, laughing.
Everything in the store had “St. Philip” written on it. Those things would be good souvenirs. But they did not seem to be good birthday gifts for Daddy.
“Let me know if I can help with anything,” said the woman behind the counter.
She was wearing a seashell necklace that I liked. A small St. Philip’s coin was hanging from it.
“Are there any more necklaces like that?” I asked.
“Right over here,” she replied.
She pointed to a necklace stand at the far end of the counter. I picked out the prettiest one for Mommy.
“Karen, look at this little box. I am sure one of my friends will like it,” said Kristy. “St. Philip” was spelled out in colored stones.
“It is great,” I said. “I like these mirrors, too.”
They were hand-sized mirrors with seashells glued to the back. The shells spelled out “St. Philip.” I picked out a heart-shaped one for Hannie.
Sniff, sniff. I followed my nose to a shelf where little bags were hanging from strings. They were about the size of tea bags and smelled like flowers.
“Those are spirit bags. They drive away bad spirits and bring the wearer good luck,” said the saleswoman.
I picked one out for Nancy.
On the shelf below was a box of St. Philip’s seashell keychains. I bought one for Seth. (He has a lot of keys.)
“Come on, Karen,” said Kristy. “It is time to get back to the van.”
We each handed the woman some St. Philip’s money. (Daddy had traded in our American money for island money at the hotel.) The saleswoman handed me back a couple of coins.
“Uh-oh,” I said.
“What is wrong?” asked Kristy.
“I have spent almost all my money. But I have not found a gift for Daddy. And his birthday is only six days away,” I said.
“Do not worry. Instead of buying him a gift, you could do something special for him,” said Kristy. “You could make up a song or something and perform it for him.”
This sounded like a good idea. I felt relieved. I just hoped it would be a good enough gift for Daddy.
Sandy’s Secret
“See you later, everyone!” I called.
It was Tuesday morning. David Michael and I were heading out for our second morning at the Island Club.
When we reached the poolhouse Mark had just finished putting a net across the pool.
“Hi!” I said. “What are we going to play?”
“We are going to try a game of water volleyball,” replied Mark.
“Cool,” I said.
Just then Sandy arrived. I ran to meet her.
“We are going to play water volleyball in the pool,” I said. “Do you want to be on my team?”
“No. I don’t feel like playing,” replied Sandy.
“Why not? You did not go in the water yesterday. You do not want to miss out two days in a row, do you?” I asked.
“I will see you later,” said Sandy. “I am going to tell Jenny I want to do something else instead.”
Before I could say another word, Sandy was gone. I saw Jenny setting her up with art supplies at a table. Two other kids who did not feel like going in the water sat with her.
I was sorry Sandy did not want to play. Water volleyball was gigundoly fun. And my team won. Yea!
When we finished, Jenny told us to meet her on the beach to play dodgeball.
I sat next to Sandy for a moment.
“Come on, Sandy,” I said. “Let’s be teammates.”
“I am making a card. I want to finish it,” replied Sandy.
“I know you did not want to join the Island Club. But since you are in it, you may as well have some fun,” I said.
“I am having fun making the card,” replied Sandy.
“Karen! We are waiting for you,” called Jenny.
“When we finish playing dodgeball, maybe we will do something you like. Then we could do it together,” I said.
“Maybe,” replied Sandy.
I ran to the beach to join the others. I got hit with the ball right away. Boo and bullfrogs.
When the game ended, Jenny gathered everyone together for a singalong on the beach. Guess what. Sandy joined us. I sat next to her.
We sang some silly songs. One of my favorites is “The Baby Bumble Bee.” At the end we sang, “Buzzy, buzzy, buzzy. Ooooh, it bit me!” I made believe I was stinging Sandy.
“We have time for one more quick swim,” said Jenny.
I turned to Sandy.
“Want to be my buddy?” I asked.
“No, thank you, I do not,” she replied.
“Come on. Just take one swim with me, please?”
“I cannot do that, okay? Leave me alone.”
“Not until you tell me why you won’t go swimming,” I replied. “I won’t make fun of you or anything. Are you afraid of the water? If you are, I could help you.”
Sandy sighed. Then she pulled me aside and said, “I am not afraid of the water. I do not think I should go swimming because I had open-heart surgery last year.”
Wow. I did not e
xpect to hear that. I knew that could be serious because my grandad had open-heart surgery. I wanted to say something nice to Sandy so she would not feel so bad.
“You look very healthy,” I said. “Do you feel okay?”
“The doctors say I am fine and can do anything I want. But I still think I should take it easy. I do not think swimming would be a good thing for me to do.”
I heard Jenny call everyone out of the water. Our parents were arriving to pick us up.
I had missed my swim. But I did not mind. I was glad Sandy had told me her secret. Maybe now we could be friends.
“See you tomorrow,” I said.
I saw Daddy waiting and ran to meet him.
A Delicious Day
“Who’s hungry?” asked Daddy.
“I am!” I replied.
“Me, too,” said David Michael.
“Robert’s van is leaving for town at twelve-thirty sharp,” said Daddy. “Everyone is upstairs getting ready.”
My family was in the rooms changing into clothes to wear to town. Everyone had had a great morning.
At 12:20 we rode the elevators downstairs to meet the van. On the way Sam bragged about his golf game to anyone who would listen.
“I only took a few classes at school, but the game came back to me fast. I am a pretty good golfer,” said Sam.
“What about me?” asked Nannie. “I expect to win the grand prize. It is a silver cup and dinner for four at the nicest restaurant on the island.”
“Do not forget what Laura said about the other players,” said Elizabeth. “Some of them are very good.”
“I am not worried about them,” said Nannie.
“You may have to worry about beating me,” said Sam.
He sounded as though he were joking. But I think he meant it a little bit. I wished Sam and Nannie were not in the same tournament. Who would I root for? I did not want either of them to feel bad if the other person won.
Beep! Beep! The van had pulled up outside the lobby door. We piled in.
“What are you up to this afternoon, my friend?” asked Robert.
“We are going to have lunch in town,” I replied.