Guest Appearance #1: Sky Freyss-Cole

Well here I am kicking off the first of many Sunday guest appearances. Since many of you I have never met, perhaps I will start with a short introduction. I’m Sky, a.k.a. blogmaster and paparazzi queen. Sharyn often mentions that she is the mother of three boys but she neglects to tell you she has many other “children” who have in some way or another finagled their way into her family. I’m one of those kids. Anne is my other mom; Ch is my dad; Cedar is my brother; and Soleil is my sister…not to mention the rest of Wellfleet: They’re extended family.

A very dear friend of mine from Denmark visited me in Wellfleet this summer. Her name is Nanna, or Frankie as I call her and we have been studying together at the KaosPilots in Aarhus since last fall. Frankie entered our spectacular little town in the midst of fundraisers, prayer circles and of course the heat of the season on Cape Cod. On our drive home from the bus station in Barnstable the night she arrived, I reminded her about the email I had sent, in which I had told her about Caleb’s accident. I warned her that things were “a little busy” around town. She had told me she had wanted to visit so that she could see where I came from and I have no doubt that she was able to do just that!

Frankie leapt head first into the heart of Wellfleet. It was time for a crash course! During our outings in town my comments went a little something like this:

“That’s Shannon, who is married to Jonah. Jonah ’s brothers are Shaye and Zach. Shaye is Katy’s boyfriend. Oh and remember that sweet little girl we saw yesterday? That’s Ella-Mae who is Zach and Settie’s daughter. Settie is the woman with the incredible voice who was singing the chant at the prayer circle. And Zach is the yoga teacher who has the studio where my mom works. You know, just behind the restaurant where we ate the other night? That’s Mac’s Shack. Oh and remember this morning when we saw the woman and the two sweet girls on the street by my house? That was Mac’s wife Tracy and their kids Bella and Lily. Got it? Oh and that woman I was just speaking with was Jodi. She’s one of ‘the moms’…”

It went on and on. By the time she headed back to Denmark, Frankie had it down. She had cracked the code of the interconnected web that is Wellfleet. In high school one of my history teachers made a bad joke about the family tree of someone from Wellfleet looking more like a wreath. Contrary to the stereotype, we are in fact not inbred, however we are part of an incredibly close-knit community. And that, my friends, is something to be extremely proud of.

Caleb is a shining star of this place we call home. To me he is a friend, a brother. To others, a son, a student, a teacher, a lover. Whether he’s banging on a drum, strolling in the woods, dancing a jig, driving on the back roads, brawling, laughing, screaming, spitting fire, jumping off a cliff, a roof, or a branch, Caleb embodies life. He is present. Loving. Real. A friend with the hugging power of a bear and a heart of gold. Damn he is missed!

I laughed to myself when the stickers were first printed up this summer. I can’t tell you how many photos I have where friends were posed and ready and at the last minute, Caleb jumped in on the side just as the shutter clicked. He likes being in the limelight but I bet he couldn’t have cooked this one up if he tried. I can’t wait to see his face when he returns to see his piratey mug plastered all over town!

Sharyn, thanks for the space to share. I sign out with a warm heart…and with this poem that reminds me of you, Mr. Caleb Russell Yellowbeard Bill Matey Leb Lad Potter…





How many, How much
By Shel Silverstein

How many slams in an old screen door?
Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live 'em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give 'em.