Pt. Reyes Station Part Eight

He has had many names in his 12 years. His older brothers liked "Adam: so it was. But soon his incredibly round head gave way to other names. The one that seemed to stick was "The Wange" after a short verbal burst by Jabba the Hut where he so "Oh Wangee-cokebah...Iyesba-chow cowa wookie".

Or some such nonsense.

So Adam became "Mr. Wangee" or simply "The Wange".

He was well known by this, to the extent that many of my students at the time had no idea his name was "Adam". "Oh..you mean The Wange" they would say.

"Yes."

Well, when the Wange was between two and three we took a private trip to Pt. Reyes. We stayed at the retreat house. We went out to dinner at Vladimir's, who made good sport of The Boy. Later we walked back to the retreat house, laid down and I read him stories then he curled up in his bed and we hit the lights.

At 2 a.m. KUUURPLUNK!

"Gehhaa...ohhh," The Wange said.

I was quick out of the next bed and held him.

"You fell out of your bed," I said quietly.

"Nah-huh...ger...poppa," said The Wange.

"It's okay sweet boy. Daddy's here."

I tucked him back in and stroked his hair.

"I fell out of the bed," The Wange said.

"Yes, you did" I laughed a little bit.

He laughed.

We still laugh about it.

The next morning we went to Drakes and a young puppy, a dalmation, came to play and be our dog for the morning. These are the best dogs because they are free and they are totally available but then go home and chew up someone else's shoes, or cords and yelp and need shots etc. But for the day, they really work.

I ran down the cool and misty beach as did The Wange and the dog and then we saw it.

Treasure.

There had been a shipwreck off the point and all manner of stuff was washing up the beach. Silverware, engine parts, fishing balls the size of bowling balls, broken dishes. The beach was full of it's demise.

The Wange crept up to an old portal attached to some wood and said "This is what I want. It's treasure Daddy."

Well he no longer calls me Daddy and I no longer call him The Wange. He calls me Papi and I call him Adam or simply "The Boy". But we still have our treasure from that day. I treasure it like I treasure him and the adventures we have had and will have in days to come.