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<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Group 1,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was just made aware of the fact that my piece, which is
copied on Abbie’s list of submissions, is not the one I sent for critique.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Chapter 3 is the submission I intended for
comment. The first 2 chapters were sent as attachments so that the background
of chapter 3 would be available to you. Chapter 3 was sent as a paste. I explained
all that when I sent the submission. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Consequently, I’ve included chapter 3 as a paste below this
preamble.<br><br><br><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">##########</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Merlyn Part Three</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had always enjoyed paddling through the swamps and islands
in South Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whether on the east or west coast of the
state, they were pretty much the same. It was upsetting for me to see the
changes that the dredging operations were having on them. But right now, in the
sixties, there is no shortage of these mysterious, saltwater places where wild life
was abundant. Mangroves are the nurseries for huge populations of sea
life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I was paddling through a series of
narrow canals and open water. Concentration was necessary if I didn’t want to get
lost. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Mangrove islands and thickets make
up one of natures most complex and beautiful mazes that grow along tidal
shores.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Momentarily, my attention was distracted by an impressive white
ibis, landing atop the<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>mangrove tangle twenty
feet away.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Hey, you’re not listening,” Merlyn reprimanded. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I’m sorry. It’s difficult trying to navigate, watch what’s
going on around us, and listen to your story at the same time.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“I believe you,” he said sarcastically.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“You said you could walk and chew gum at the
same time. By the way, I think you just went off course.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“How would you know?” I asked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Because I live here, Dummy.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“My name’s Leonard, not Dummy.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Okay, I apologize, Leonard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>It’s just that I’ve been blathering to deaf ears for the last five
minutes. Maybe I should save the story till we get to your campground.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Good idea. Let’s stick to small talk until then. I really
want to listen with my full attention.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You got a deal, Buddy,” he said good naturedly. “By the
way, Leonard, you’ll get us there faster if you cut around the left side of
that island.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Are you sure? I’ll be lost if I do that.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Do Mexicans eat tortillas? I’m the navigator. You’re the
motor. Okay?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Okay, but if you get us lost, I’m going to have turtle soup
for dinner.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“That’s not funny,” he said, as I suppressed a laugh.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the rest of the journey, I learned that a turtle could be
a very annoying back-seat driver. Only in this case, it was a top-of-shoulder
driver. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Point your bow ten degrees right. Not fifteen degrees.
That’s better. There's an oyster bank where you’re headed. It’ll cut your
bottom to ribbons. I wish you had a hat so I could get some shade.” <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He went on and on until I was really tempted
to throw him overboard and call it a day, but finally, our little voyage
reached his destination. I could see my car and pup tent perched on the packed
sandy surface of my campsite. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“The next part of the ride might be a little rough on you, little
guy, I said. “ I’m going to have to do a lot of bending over and getting into
other positions.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That’s going to make
shoulder riding hazardous.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Good point. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ll
stay in the tent and leave you to your labors.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I put Merlyn on top of the kayak, dragged it halfway up the
sandy beach, carried him to the tent, and said, “I’ll be back in a jiffy. Make
yourself at home.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Do you have any refreshments in a cooler or something?” he
asked.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I walked back to the kayak, gathered up my equipment and
stored it in my car, I wondered where the turtle had gotten all his camp smarts
and other worldly information. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I made a third trip back to the water’s edge,
swung the boat over my head and carried it to my campsite.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then I grabbed my dry ice cooler and dragged
it into the tent. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Merlyn had crawled
discretely into a corner to get out of my way.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“What can I get you, my friend?” I asked</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“What kind of vegetables do you have?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“There’s lettuce on tuna and rye.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“That sounds good,” he said, “I haven’t had a tuna sandwich
for years.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I thought about the absurdity of a turtle who used to eat tuna
fish sandwiches. I had to be dreaming. It turned out he was partial to carrots
and tomatoes, which he gorged himself on. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Afterwards, my new friend relieved himself outside the tent.
I settled down in a fabric camp chair and turned on my radio. I was a little
concerned that it might sound strange to a passerby to hear someone talking to
a turtle, and a little music would offer some degree of auditory privacy. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Okay,” Merlyn said, “Where did I leave off?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
</p></div>