Finding Home

Rustaj lay on the sand listening to the sound of the sea. He loved everything about this island. He loved that stars filled the sky, he loved that even after the sun left the sky and the air turned cool the sand still felt warm, and he really loved the laughter of the people of the island. They were his people. He loved it when he and the boys would run along the beach. He was faster than all of them, but he sometimes would run a little slower so that it felt more like a race for them. He had only known this group of boys for a few years, and they were not like his friend Erald. He had known Erald for as long as he could remember. He still remembered the day Erald had left the island. Why would anyone leave this paradise? Rustaj couldn’t understand where Erald had gone and didn’t know if he would ever see him again, but there wasn’t much he could do about it so he didn’t let himself spend a lot of time thinking about it.

As the tide came in the water began lapping at the sand where Rustaj lay, and as it got deeper, he moved further up the dune. He liked the coolness of the ocean on his skin. His belly was full, and when he licked his lips, he tasted the grilled meat he had eaten for dinner. Rustaj would visit different houses at mealtimes. People were always generous with food and seemed genuinely happy to see him whenever he dropped by.

As the sun rose, Rustaj stretched from head to toe. As he stretched, he couldn’t shake the feeling that today was going to be different than any other day of his life. He headed for his friend Pearl’s house to get breakfast.

“Hey Rustaj! You look like you slept on the beach again last night. How about some breakfast?” Pearl’s smile was so beautiful. Her black hair was long and shiny, and her eyes twinkled brightly. What Rustaj loved most about Pearl was her energy. Even when he was tired or sad, she always made him feel cherished.

The eggs were cooked just like Rustaj liked them. Pearl was always doing things for others with great love. She was his favorite person on the island. Sometimes they would lay together on the sofa and watch the sunrise, and sometimes they would take a run along the beach. He knew she felt the same way as he did about Erald. Some of the clothes hanging in the wardrobe still smelled like Erald, and sometimes he saw Pearl looking out across the water and he knew she was missing their friend as much as he did. Pearl’s mother was at the house today. Rustaj liked Pearl’s mother, but sometimes felt that she did not like him. Today was one of those days. She looked angry. Her eyebrows were low on her forehead and her mouth was a tight, thin line. He didn’t think it was anything he had done because he had caught sight of her before she had seen him, and she had looked angry then too.

Then he saw it and a feeling of dread came over him. “Please, Please, Please,” he thought, let it be the old women. Rustaj was looking at a suitcase that was standing to one side of the door. He couldn’t imagine what the island would be like without Pearl. He had lots of friends, but Pearl was more than a friend. She got him. They were soul mates. Not in a romantic way, but in the way that they were meant to share life. They had shared the pain of missing Erald. Rustaj believed that Pearl could read his mind. Most people living on the island never left. They were born and died here. During their lives, they fished, went diving for shellfish and pearls, played Bao with their friends, made love to their wives, played with their children and grandchildren until the end of their lives.

Rustaj had heard some of the elders talk about other places far away, but he couldn’t imagine why anybody would want to go anywhere else. He knew that he certainly had no desire to leave the island. He tried to think of a reason why someone would want to leave but came up empty.

Then he thought of Erald. He could remember the sound Erald’s voice, the smell of his body and how much fun they had together. There was no one that Rustaj loved more than Erald. Pearl was a close second, but Erald was one of those special people who just took a piece of you with them when they left. Now Rustaj was nervous. He had seen a suitcase just like this one the day Erald had left. Surely Pearl wasn’t going to leave him too! He knew her mother would never treat him the way Pearl had. He looked from Pearl to her mother and back. Who was leaving? Who was staying? Why had no one said anything to him? The eggs in Rustaj’s stomach suddenly felt heavy as his stomach churned. He closed his eyes and swallowed, willing the eggs to stay put. Pearl had cooked those eggs for him with love and it would hurt her feelings if he were sick to his stomach.

Suddenly there was a shout down by the dock. It sounded like a cheer, but Rustaj didn’t dare leave the house. If Pearl left without saying goodbye it would break his heart. Who was he fooling? If Pearl left at all it would break his heart. Is this what it meant to love someone? You give your heart to them and they leave you behind. Rustaj felt so sad. He tried to convince himself that it was Pearl’s mother who was leaving, but he could tell that Pearl was excited about something. She was smiling and humming a song that Erald used to sing. She was moving through the house quickly, busying herself all around cleaning and straightening the house, even though everything was already clean and straight.

Suddenly he heard a sound that nearly stopped his heart. It sounded like Erald! He was singing the song that Pearl had just been humming. Rustaj looked at Pearl who smiled at him and he ran out the door. He ran so fast he nearly knocked Erald down.

“Hey buddy, where are you going in such a hurry?” Pearl was right behind him and she and Erald embraced and kissed. Rustaj was so happy he could hardly stand it.

Erald looked at Pearl and said, “Are you ready? The boat is only here long enough to load and unload and then we leave again.”

Pearl nodded. “Mama is already here, and I am packed. I was just waiting for you.” She kissed him warmly and they smiled.

They walked to the house and Erald grabbed the suitcase. He said a few words to Pearl’s mother, and they headed for the dock. Rustaj followed a few steps behind, not wanting to believe what was happening. His face felt hot, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His mouth was so dry he couldn’t speak. Erald handed the suitcase to a man on the boat who was wearing funny clothes and had a bright colored cloth wrapped around his head. His skin was much darker than Erald and Pearl’s and his teeth were bright white. Rustaj had never seen anyone who looked like that. Erald climbed onto the boat and lifted Pearl up and into the boat. They kissed again. Then Erald and Pearl looked at Rustaj and then at each other.

Erald whistled and said, “Come on boy!” In two leaps Rustaj was on the boat licking Erald’s face. His tail was thumping against the side of the boat as it wagged, and he was whining with joy. Pearl and Erald laughed. “No way I could leave you again Rustaj.” Erald scratched Rustaj’s ears just like he used to and Rustaj was in heaven.

The feeling, being with the two people he loved the most in the world and going wherever they were going was the best feeling in the world. The boatman raised the sails and the boat moved across the water toward the sea. Thirty minutes ago, Rustaj couldn’t imagine living anywhere else other than on their island. Now, even though he had no idea where he was going, he didn’t care. As he watched the island where he had lived his entire life fade into the distance, he knew that it was this feeling that was home.