Nathan and the Stone Crabs

Nathan was understandably confused at LAX on the way to visit his grandfather for the first time in the historical fishing village of DeSoto, near Tampa Bay. His grandfather had been to the La Crescenta home of his parents and he knew and loved the older man. His mother shied away from talking about the little tucked-away spot where she grew up. When she did talk, Nathan got the idea that the people back there were bumpkins with no concept of civilized life, barely literate, certainly not cultured. His mother attended California College of Arts and Crafts in Berkeley. She earned a degree in fine arts with distinction, lived the Berkeley life, worked at Chez Panisse, Alice Waters' world-renowned restaurant, then re-located to the Los Angeles area, invited by Wolfgang Puck. She is a foodie and likely a snob as well. After all, she serves polenta, but never grits. "I can't live back there," she told him firmly, "but it is time for you to see it for yourself and make up your own mind." Nathan does see DeSoto for himself and makes up his own mind about these sturdy, resourceful, hard-working, talented people. He meets Pat and they become the best of friends. Pat wants to be a marine diesel mechanic and open a shop in the little village, even though Pat's father, also a DeSoto kid once, now a circuit judge in state court, objects. Nathan's carelessness results in near-fatal injuries to his friend Hands, first mate on the crab boat, Moondown, but redeems himself by attending professionally to the first mate's injuries. Hands is med evaced from the offshore boat by a Coast Guard chopper.