Moonglass

the other side of the fire yelled.
    “Nope. I wish I was as cool as this guy was. And Jesus , I’m not that old.”
    “How old are you, anyway?” the same voice yelled.
    “Old enough to know when to shut up. I’m trying to tell a story here.” He smiled and squatted down so the fire lit up his face under the hat. “Anyway, the older guards decided this kid needed his ego knocked down a tad, so at the bonfire out here, they gave him all the beers he wanted, then threw down a challenge for him. See Ab Rock down there?” He pointed toward the rock at the end of the cove. “They told him that every year, in order to graduate from being a rookie, you had to swim out to it, climb up to the first point, and jump off naked.” The rookies were quiet now, trying to shrink into the sand, and I was glad I wasn’t one of them. James went on.
    “So anyway, the kid agreed, dropped his shorts right there in front of the whole bonfire, and dolphin-dove out into the water. A few of the older guards swam out with him, to make sure he didn’t chicken out. They all climbed the rock, but when they got to the jumping point, the crazy bastard kept climbing, all the way up to the top of the cliff, which is about fifty feet up. At high tide.” He paused and turned—and so did all of us—to the cliff that loomed above the water. In the dark I could just make out the outline of it, but my memory of it from that first morning was that it would have been a scary jump to make. A quiet resignation had settled over the rookies seated at James’s feet, and the other guards, Tyler included, stood over them, smiling.
    “Well, the goddamn kid got all the way to the top, stood there a minute in the moonlight, naked and proud, and then backed up, took a running head start, and launched himself off the top of good ol’ Ab Rock.” He let the image sink in for a second before he continued. “Now, everybody was waiting for him to come up, but he decided to have some fun of his own and come in hugging the edge of the cliff in the shadow, where they couldn’t see him. They all got worried and started diving around for the kid. Guards on the beach jumped in. Girls were crying. And you know what he did? He came out of the water, still buck naked, grabbed one of the cottage girls, and laid a big ol’ wet kiss on her.” James looked over at me. “And legend has it that it was love at first kiss, because that girl became his wife later on.
    “So, how ‘bout it, boys? Tonight’s the night you become men and carry on the tradition started so many years ago by our very own Boss Ryan. So strip down. Nudity is required for rookies. Evans, you collect their boxers at the waterline. The rest of you have earned the right to your shorts, if you wish. I will be jumping naked, in support of these poor saps.” The veteran guards again cheered and raised their cups, and the rookies stood up, resigned to their fate.
    I didn’t move. People elbowed each other around me, laughing. Ashley was saying something, James and Tyler were walking over to us, and I didn’t move. I sat spinning, marveling. I’d known they’d met at the cove, but that was it. Not that my dad had been this reckless and wild kid, not that my mom had been a—”cottage girl.” Had she stayed here? Lived here? Ashley’s hand on my shoulder interrupted all of the questions that swirled around. She was still giggling.
    “So that crazy kid was your dad? And the girl he grabbed was your mom? That’s the cutest story! They must love to tell it!” I nodded, staring down into the fire. “Yeah, it’s an old family favorite.”
    James bent down to me and Ashley. “You ladies, of course, are exempt from this requirement of the party. Although you’re more than welcome to join in.” Ashley pulled a blanket over her shoulders. “I think I’ll wait right here.” She looked over at the rookies, who were now down to their underwear. “Are any of them cute enough for a kiss? Maybe one is my future husband.”
    “Not likely,” replied James. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go disrobe.” He tipped his straw hat, winked, and walked off down to the waterline, where everyone had gathered. I looked from the inky blackness of the water to the towering silhouette of Ab Rock, and then stood.
    “Wait up! I’m in.” I got up and in one swift motion pulled my sundress over my head. I wasn’t going to get naked, but I figured my bra and underwear were pretty much the same thing as a