Everything was perfect ... the hospitality and generosity of family members who welcomed us into their stunning home on the Manteo waterfront ... happy kids playing with happy grandparents ... an afternoon drink and some laughs with an old friend I hadn't seen in a decade.
As a younger man, I ventured to the Outer Banks frequently, relishing the sun and sand of Nags Head and carousing with buddies at assorted watering holes, including the wild and woolly and now defunct Mex-Econo in Kill Devil Hills. The last time I'd set foot in these parts, however, was some 15 years ago.
After such a moving and meaningful trip, I pledge never to let so many years slip by before I return to this special place, this magnificent seaside locale perfectly positioned along the coast of my native state.