Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 09:19:32 -0800 (PST) From: c s Subject: Life on the rock: Chapter 1: Back to the rock It was a chilly May Morning in Northern Michigan. I had stopped off at the rest area in Clare to take a leak. I love that rest stop. They used old pieces of scrap metal from roadwork sites to make this tribute of statutes to the road workers. If you have ever been to Michigan you know that they are always working on the roads. That can get annoying at times but the tribute is really cool. Oh yeah, by the way, my name is Tad. I am 21 years old. I have brown hair and brown eyes. I am about 5'9 and I weigh 120lbs. I know there is one more thing you are probably wondering about, but I don' know you that well yet so you will have to wait to get to know me a little better before I tell you that. He he he. When I got done in the restroom I headed out to the lobby to check on boat schedules. I am headed for Mackinac Island, and the only way to get there is by boat or plane. I am scared to death of flying so I will just stick with the boat. Besides it is only a fifteen-minute boat ride from St. Ignace to the Island. I was still about two hours away, so I got back in my car and headed north. When I pulled into St. Ignace it was about 11:30 AM, and the next boat was at noon, so I still had time to park my car and get my things ready. I parked my car and got my boat tickets. I have visited Mackinac Island before, but I have never worked there. Now I am going to work there for the summer. People come from all over to work on Mackinac Island. I grabbed my bags out of the trunk and headed over to the boat. "Hi!" I heard from this guy standing next to me. He was a little taller than me, and he looked like he might be a year or two older as well. "Hello." I replied a bit nervously. "I'm Kyle." The cute guy with dirty blonde hair said. "Oh, hello Kyle. My name is Tad." "So are you going over to the island just for a visit or will you be working there for the summer? Kyle asked. " I will be working at the mercantile this summer. It is my first summer working on the island so I am a bit nervous." I replied. " Oh, ha ha ha," Kyle giggled and told me, " You don't have to be nervous. It's a little different at first but once you get used to it I think you will like it. Hey, Maybe I could show you around if you would like. "I'd like that, thanks a lot Kyle." Oh my god this cute guy has just offered to show me around. Maybe he likes me. I wonder if I should tell him that I think he is hot. Well maybe that would be jumping the gun a bit to fast. I had better wait a while. "All aboard!" The captain of the boat announced. We all got on the boat and headed for the Island. I sat inside on the second level with Kyle. He asked me if I wanted to go stand on top outside, but I told him we would freeze out there. "Here." Kyle said as he handed me his coat. "Put this on, it will keep you nice and warm." I smiled and took his coat as we headed up the steps for the top of the boat. "Wow!" This is awesome!" I yelled. I had to yell because the wind was so loud. All the times I had ever visited the island, I never had done this before. It was cold, but Kyle made me start to feel warm inside.