"Can't you paddle any faster? You can see how close we are now, this is no 
time to rest!"

"Grandmother, if I hear anything more from you I'll push you overboard!"

"I'd be pleased if you did. I could swim to shore myself, it would be much 
faster."

So had passed our journey to the island Rosado. The island's golden sides rose 
steeply from the ocean, curving to a more gentle summit, a fraction of the 
length of the portion I could see. I made out a fair-sized town on the coastline 
closest to us, but nothing more definite. I had concluded during my stay with 
the women on the island that my distance eyesight was poor. I had asked 
Grandmother if she knew of a cure; and although her knowledge of life in 
Marmundo was great, she knew little about health, apart from a few folk 
remedies and day-to-day prevention. It was no use. So when the young girl 
stood in the bow and said, "There's Mama! There's Mama!", I could only take 
her word for it until we were closer to shore.

I paddled toward a pier of stone that jutted out several geofeet from the 
shoreline. A landing party was there to greet us. In the front was a woman 
past her youth, but whose radiant smile and dark eyes showed a kinship to my 
hostess. Beside her were two young women and a young man, all looking to 
be within seven years of each other.

The oldest was the man. He stood about my height and was slight of build. The 
edges of his face gently curved to a soft chin. His eyes were keen and sparkled. 
At his hip was some kind of measuring device that looked like a cross between 
a sextant and a sundial. He stood next to the older of the two girls. She was 
very much like my hostess and the older woman, who looked to be her 
mother. Her face was oval and her fingers were long and nimble. She wore a 
necklace of plant fibers around her neck, similar to my macramŽ by common 
aim rather than origin. The youngest girl had a round face and lighter eyes set 
far apart. In her hair were a half dozen knotwork hair extensions, tied into hair 
cut close to the scalp. All of the party at the quayside wore their hair very 
short, and wore similar clothes as well: tunics or tabards, brought together at 
the waist with stout belts, over loose leggings. The woman's and the young 
man's went down to their ankles, but the younger women's only went to the 
mid-calf. The colors were different gradations of brown. The youngest girl had 
her tunic dyed in a complex pattern, while the others all had simple block 
prints or batik patterns on theirs. The belts were of animal hide and cinched 
with buttons of stone.

Our arrival--or, perhaps, my arrival--had brought them up to the very edge of 
the pier. I couldn't even make fast the canoe before we were crowded by our 
welcoming party.

"Mama! Do–a Peque–a!" It was the older woman who spoke to us first. "How 
good to see you back ashore! And who's this? Have you taken a lover, 
Mama?"

"If only I'd had the opportunity," she said, struggling to her feet on stiff legs. 
The women crowed around her to help her ashore.

I had tossed a rope up onto the pier, preparing to tie it, but I first helped my 
saviors up out of the canoe. "No, I've somehow kept my hands off of her," I 
joked. "I'm a castaway. I've lost my memory, and I washed ashore on their 
island some days ago."

"Is that so?" said the mother. "You don't remember who you are? You 
certainly don't speak like a local."

"No, I don't. Thank you!" I said. The young man had tied the boat to a piling 
while I had been answering the questions. I offered him my hands and he 
pulled me up and out. "I'm pleased to meet you. What's your name?"

"I'm Arrasco. I am, ah..." He half turned and pointed to the members of the 
group. "I am her grandson, her nephew, and the cousin of all of them. My 
father's brother married Grandmother's daughter Ibanez."

"Hello," said the mother. I replied, "How do you do."

"Aunt Ibanez's first daughter is Capal’sia, and we call her Capo. Mer‡n is 
Auntie's second daughter and second stepchild. Yondo has just joined the 
Navy, so you won't meet him today. But Bero should be home."

"I'm pleased to meet you all," I said. I bent my forearm across my waist and 
bowed, like Grandmother had told me to do. The younger girls smiled and 
gave half-curtseys, their mother was far too busy doting on her child. I looked 
to Grandmother for guidance. "Well...what shall we do now?"

"I want to eat," said Grandmother. "I was so worried about getting ashore, with 
your paddling like a crab swimming, I've got an appetite now. Let's go to the 
restaurant."

"Hurrah!" said Mer‡n. "Can we have a meal, Mama? We can't let Grandmother 
down, can we?"

"No, we can't now," said Ibanez. "Would you like some lunch, Do–a Peque–a?"

"Uh-HUH!" she said with a big wide grin. Beside her, Capo nodded her head.

"Then it's all decided," Arrasco quietly informed me. We broke up and set off 
down the pier at a slow walk. Ibanez walked between her mother and her 
youngest child, peppering them with questions and small jokes. Arrasco and I 
followed behind them. Mer‡n half-walked, half-skipped beside me, and Capo 
came at the rear, a pace and a half behind our group.

"What is that instrument you have there?" I asked, pointing at the thing on his 
belt. "It looks complicated...and it's metal, so it must be valuable."

"Yes, it is," he said. "I have to take good care of it, it's my Maestro's. It's called a 
'piedabo'. It lets me measure straight lines and angles and do some maths."

"He's going to be an engineer!" said Mer‡n, jumping in to the conversation.

An apprentice engineer, I thought. Aloud, I said to the girl, "You are still 
studying, yes? You wear short pants still."

She nodded. "Many of my other friends stopped coming this year, one is even 
married, would you believe it? But I don't want to get married just yet, and I'm 
having ever so much fun in my classes. Right now we're learning about all the 
different kinds of fishes that live on Tocacielos, which is the next island over, 
and soon we'll be going out to the coral reefs to look at the corals that live 
there! And I just started studying astronomy, so I can even help us to navigate 
as we go out to sea. I can hardly wait...it will be wonderful, out on the boat all 
day and under the stars at night."

I turned over my shoulder to Capo. "Are you still a student too?" I asked.

She nodded, and then gave her reply hesitatingly. "This will be my last year. 
I'm only studying half time. Mother wants me to find someone and settle 
down with him, but...nothing, it isn't important."

Quickly, I said "What are you doing with your time then?"

"I work for the school," she replied with a little more happiness in her voice. "I 
work in the library up the hill, cataloging books and reading stories to the little 
girls who come in for story time. They--ah, you wouldn't know. They've been 
named, so the youngest ones are only a month or two older than Do–a 
Peque–a."

"Eh?" I said. "What kind of an event is naming?"

"It's where--"

Arrasco's answer was cut off by Mer‡n. "It's a big party where girls and boys 
get to become someone! And we have all kinds of fish, and there's dancing, 
and then they give them a name, and..."

She trailed off, overcome with the excitement of the very thought. Arrasco 
tried to pick up the thought. "It's where a young girl or boy comes of age, 
often several go through at once. A priest comes and gives them each their 
names, and purifies them.  And yes, there's a celebration, after, so."

Behind us, Capo spoke up. "Do–a Peque–a is still in danger of being snatched 
by Unmentionables. So they can't know her name for a little while yet. When 
she's old enough, we'll have a ritual and a party."

"How very interesting," I said. I decided that this ceremony could be a clue into 
the kind of place I was living in, and I hoped that I'd be allowed to watch or 
participate. Again, mentions of gods of some kind, but now clergy. Was this a 
theocracy? Were all the people who lived in this society so religious?

"Did you have a ceremony?" said Mer‡n. "Oh, that's right, you don't know 
anything about yourself, do you?"

"No. Nor do I know where we're going. Where are we walking to, may I ask?"

"Mama's restaurant," came the reply from all around me. Mer‡n added, 
"Mama's got the best restaurant on the whole island, it's so famous, you know. 
She makes good money for us all, but I shouldn't be talking about money in 
public, I'm so sorry..."

We had been walking up through the waterfront neighborhoods and were 
now on a narrow side street two blocks from the water. The buildings were all 
alike, at least to my eyes. They were between two and three stories tall with 
whitewashed walls--I thought of molar teeth rising up against the sea-blue sky. 
The second and third stories were drawn back away from the street. The 
empty spaces were made into verandas by knee-high walls. The walls of the 
ground floors had shuttered windows, always one on either side of the 
doorway. The front walls were painted, sometimes in blue or in brown, in 
elegant wrapped vine patterns. Looking up close at the designs, I could see tiny 
purple dots spotted at random into the vinework. I wondered if there was 
some kind of heraldic pattern to them. Doors all up and down the streets were 
open, though strings of pebbles or cloth flaps hung in the doorways. Many 
houses had stands by the front steps where young children were selling small 
handmade trinkets and charms.

Our conversation drifted into a discussion of the names of the streets in the 
neighborhood. As it ebbed, we came to a building that was twice as wide as 
any of the houses on the street. Over the door hung a wooden sign, one of the 
few pieces of free decoration I had seen on the island. It was a simple picture of 
a plate with a fish in its center-- a restaurant advertisement in any language. 
From inside came the smell of cooking fish and a crowd of raised voices. I 
followed the leaders of our group inside, noticing how Mer‡n scooted in ahead 
of Arrasco and me through the doorway.

We made our way between the tables to the back of the restaurant. I was 
dimly aware that the patrons were talking to the three women in front of us, 
but I was too busy noticing the clientele themselves. The inside of the dining 
area covered the whole of the ground floor. Groups of two to eight were 
clustered around tables of wood overlain by woven grass tablecloths, seated 
on wooden benches. I noticed that people ate without utensils but would make 
frequent use of finger bowls. The adults drank an amber-colored drink, 
perhaps beer, while children drank water. The light from outside would 
sometimes catch the edges of the glasses and throw small curves of refraction 
across the ceiling.

In the back of the restaurant a staircase led up to the kitchen. As we climbed it I 
realized that another young woman, in between Capo and Mer‡n in age, had 
joined us. We crossed through the kitchen, a blur of steaming ovens and 
human bustle, and I tried to figure out her relationship with the group. She 
was dressed in a tighter tabard than any of the other young people wore, and 
she carried a tray; so I guessed that that was her working clothes, and that she 
worked as a waitress.

Shortly we were out of the kitchen on the landing. There were two tables set 
there for private use of the staff or special guests. I had my first good look at 
the newest member of the party. She had the same gentle curves to her face 
that Arrasco did; but what caught my attention was that her accessories were 
different from everyone else. The other women all had tiny plug pierces in 
their ears, but this girl wore seashell earrings that dangled halfway to her 
shoulders. Her hair was longer, ending at the base of her head, tied up with 
one of her hair extensions; and on her right cheek just below her eye, I could 
see a tiny tattoo of a butterfly shape.

Her tone was direct, certainly more direct than the other members of the 
party. "You're a stranger, yes? The one Auntie Ibanez mentioned just now? 
I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Ayarsca." She didn't curtsey so much as she 
bobbed.

"How do you do," I said, repeating my bow-and-forearm action. "Are you a 
relative of Arrasco's?"

Ibanez looked shocked at my question, perhaps thinking it impertinent; but 
Ayarsca didn't seem surprised. "Uh-huh. His dad and my mom were both born 
on Lucinda, which is the next big island to the east, but he grew up here and I 
grew up there. I only came here, eh, nine months ago. To go to school, you 
know."

"But she couldn't keep her grades up," said Ibanez. Pitying smiles came from 
everyone but Ayarsca, who fumed. "So I told her she could work here until the 
next term starts."

"And I don't mind!" retorted Ayarsca. "I like working here a lot, thanks. I get to 
meet with my friends, and the pay's good, too."

"Well, I'm pleased to meet you all--"

"Enough of this," grumbled the Grandmother. "I didn't come all this way to 
hear people getting angry at one another, and I had barely anything to eat for 
breakfast. Do–a Peque–a and the boy and I are all starving, so when do we 
eat?"

Ibanez laughed. "Soon, Mama, soon. We're having some Cola de Pez balls and 
boiled vegetables, so there's plenty for you to eat. And bread."

"Eh, Cola de Pez...well, if you're the cook, it won't be too bad, I suppose."

We sat down at the tables, fitting all eight of us around them with ease. Water 
was placed in front of Grandmother, Do–a Peque–a and Ibanez. I was seated 
next to Capo and to the right of the Grandmother, who took a chair at the 
table's head. Though conversation went on around us, neither Capo nor I 
spoke much. Myself, I was simply trying to come to terms with the excitement 
of being in the town, but Capo had something on her mind. Do–a Peque–a 
was seated across from me, and I saw Capo looking over her head again and 
again as we waited to be served.

"Is something the matter?" I asked at length.

"Eh? Oh, it's nothing." She shook her head dismissively. A moment later I 
caught her looking again, and she told me, "I'm worried about losing my 
vision. The clouds on the horizon...they seem blurry to me. But I can't 
remember anymore if I could see that far."

"I'm no good judge," I replied. "I can't see well at all. There's no kind of 
operation you know of to correct the problem?"

She shook her head again, this time in the negative. "No. I've been going 
through the books in the library on my free time, to see if there's anything on 
there. They talk about the will of the gods being seen fit in blindness, but don't 
mention anything more. There aren't even any pictures of what the eyes look 
like on the inside. Why should there be, though, you would have to...oh, I 
don't want to talk about it."

"I'd like to visit your library sometime," I said. "I want to know more about this 
place, and if anyone's come like I have."

She smiled. "I'd enjoy some company, it's mostly me and the old librarians. 
When will you come? How?"

I couldn't answer for a moment. "I don't know. I've come to this island...and 
now that I'm here, there's nowhere for me to go, and nowhere I can't go. I 
don't know. Grandmother?"

"Mm? Yes, boy, what is it?"

"Do you know anywhere I can stay here in this town? For a while, at least?"

"Oh, don't worry about it, I've already thought about it. Ibita! Ibita, darling!" 
She raised her voice, and at the foot of the table her daughter looked up. "Ibita, 
the boy needs someplace to stay for a little while. Is there enough room for 
him to sleep on your roof?"

Ibanez herself looked vaguely surprised by the question. She set down the 
glass she had been drinking from and then said, "I suppose. What will you be 
doing here, young man?"

I leaned forward, being careful not to rest my elbows on the table--no-one else 
was--and said, "Capo here tells me that there is a library on the island. I 
thought that I could do some studying there, to find out if anyone else has 
been cast away in this land. Aside from that...I'd be happy to work in your 
restaurant for my meals and lodging."

"Fair enough," she said. I thought I saw Ayarsca smirk. "Can you cook? Do you 
remember how?"

I thought carefully, because it was a serious question. While having the status 
of a cook would certainly curry favor in my employer's eyes, I couldn't say in 
all honesty that I had enough experience. I shook my head. "I'd be happy to 
wait tables, or clean. Tell me what you would like me to do."

She nodded and smiled--my answer had pleased her. She held up her glass to 
me. "Tekalili!" I mimed the motion back for want of a drink of my own.

Before conversations could resume, the chefs themselves served us. Each plate 
had a half-dozen balls, each the size of my thumb, of what smelled like fish. On 
the side there were two kinds of boiled vegetables. Both were cylindrical, twice 
as long as they were wide. One kind was yellow-white and the other crimson. 
In the center of the table was another plate with pieces of bread on it. I was 
served a glass of water and a small bowl of sauce. A finger bowl was placed in 
between myself and Capo.

We began the meal by bowing our heads. Without raising her head 
Grandmother clapped once. Do–a Peque–a clapped next, then the wave passed 
around the table, ending with me. After I clapped we all raised our heads. I 
watched how the people around me ate. The white sauce was for dipping the 
Cola balls in, the vegetables were eaten in bites, and everyone helped 
themselves to the bread. It wasn't clear what to begin with, so I tried a bite of 
the Cola ball. My first bite revolted me: the outside was firm, and the tart sauce 
improved the taste, but the middle of the ball was pasty. Before I could gag I 
forced the rest of it down. The vegetables tasted alike, bland. The bread was 
hearty enough, but I was horrified when I bit onto what felt like small pebbles 
in it. I hoped against hope that they were seeds and swallowed my mouthful.

Having completed one round of the meal, I glanced around to see if anyone 
was watching how I ate. Luck seemed to be with me, everyone was occupied 
with their own meals. Grandmother ate out of one side of her mouth but not 
the other, obviously from her physical impairment. Arrasco, Ayarsca and 
Do–a Peque–a were all chatting through mouthfuls of food, but Ibanez made a 
point of swallowing before telling them to slow down. I caught her eye as she 
made her point, and smiled gratefully. To further mask my true feelings, I 
slipped two of the vegetables into my mouth in quick succession. It was a 
difficult chore to finish the meal. I was the last one with food on his plate; but I 
voice inside me, whether a half-forgotten memory or just my own concience, 
told me that I had no choice but to eat what my hostess offered me if I was 
going to be welcome in her home.

I was working on my last piece of bread when a final guest joined us. He was a 
boy about twice Do–a Peque–a's age. Most of him, at that instant, was covered 
with dirt and dust. Held in his left hand was a circular piece of wood about as 
wide as his forearm was long. He was tired but very happy. I guessed he had 
gotten dirty playing some kind of sport. After a few short words from his 
stepmother he disappeared, returning in a short while cleaner and more 
distinct. His hair was tanner than that of the other memebers of his family, and 
his eyes were yellower. In fact, he looked even less like the women of 
Grandmother's family than anyone I had met or seen.

Once again he consulted his mother. Then he came up to my side and spoke. 
"Hello. I'm Bero. Nice to meet you."

"You too," I said. "I'm going to be staying with you and your family for a while. 
Your mother didn't say that?"

He was speechless, and his eyes swelled before he shut them quickly, as if 
refusing to believe, and shook his head. Watching him, Capo chuckled.

"Well, I am. And, I'm going to be working in the restaurant. So keep me out of 
trouble, all right?" My joke was lost on him, but Capo and Arrasco laughed. I 
tried another approach. "What was that thing you brought with you when you 
came home? Was it a paddle? It was? Do you play a game with it? What kind 
of a game?Can you tell me?"

My cajoling was of no use, the boy would not open up his heart or his mouth. I 
smiled at him. "Well, why don't you show me sometime? All right?" This 
produced a nod from him, and he broke away to return to his mother's side.

Arrasco came around and spoke at my shoulder. "Ah, don't worry. He's very 
shy around strangers. His parents, you see, were quiet people too. When you 
know him, or when he knows you, I should say, he'll speak enough."

"About Bero, couldn't his parents keep him?"

Both cousins shook their heads in the dismissive way I had noticed before. "It's 
complicated," said Capo. "We can tell you later, I suppose."

"There's no hurry," I said. Her tone had told me that if went further I might 
touch a raw nerve for the family. I had no desire whatsoever to do that. I 
quickly found a different subject to talk about. "There's still a lot of time left in 
the day. Could I get a real tour around town?"

"Of course," Capo said with a smile. "I'd be happy to show you around."

"Me too!" crowed Mer‡n. "I'm coming, too!"

"Everyone can come, I'd love the company."

"Ah..."

"Mm? What is it, Arrasco?"

He motioned me to lean forward with a quick jerk of his fingers. I leaned 
closer and he whispered, "You'll want some better, some normal clothes, 
before you go around town. I'll loan you some until you have your own."

"Thank you," I replied in the same hushed voice. I was still dressed in the same 
orca-skin pants, with a pair of small thongs borrowed from Grandmother to 
walk in. Obviously, I would need some clothes from my new land before long. 
We were pulling away from each other when I thought to ask him another 
question, "Is it polite for us to be excused from the table now? I'm eager to go 
and look around."

He considered it, then spoke. "Mother, our, ah, houseguest would like to see 
Rosado. Could we go and show him around town at least?"

"Oh, by all means," she replied. Do–a Peque–a had sat on her lap and Ibanez 
was playing some kind of game with her, one that involved touching fingertips 
to fingertips over and over again. She pulled her gaze up to look at Arrasco 
and myself. "I should have suggested it myself. The children know when 
dinner is, just be back by then, all right?"

I nodded. Arrasco whispered something in his mother's ear; she looked at me, 
then took a few things out of a small satchel on her waist and slipped them into 
his hands. My wardrobe problems seemed to be at an end.

The five of us stood and, without more ado, walked out through the kitchen.