The traveler from Kansas went eastwards until there was no more east to walk on, and there before her was the blueness against the sky blue, flatter than the Great Plains, extending out to a horizon even longer than the prairie. Go any further, and you'd be sailing to Ireland. There on the rocky coast of Massachusetts' north shore, the visitor from the landlocked steppes finally saw the ocean. Cormorants paddled and dove into the waves, while gulls squealed and wheeled overhead. A fresh sea breeze ruffled through her heartland knitting, which she always takes with her. Thus I fulfilled my promise to my friend.

My mother, who grew up by the ocean and always loves a visit to the coast, came along for the ride. We ate fried fish and seafood at a fine local restaurant. We had picked a beautiful day to visit, perfect spring weather and a blue sky painted with soft clouds. The shops and cafe's in the resort towns were not fully open yet, but we managed nevertheless to do some quality shopping.

The next day, I took my friend on a thrilling tour through Boston and Cambridge. She saw firsthand the roiling chaos of Boston driving, as well as the newsstands of Harvard Square where I spent so many hours when I lived there. We sat in a coffee house watching the local species of academic-humans, of which I was and ever shall be one no matter where I live or what I do. I enjoyed being the tour guide, and spoke a proper Bahston Dialect while explaining things to the Western visitor.

On Thursday, she returned home to Lawrence, Kansas and her beloved husband Ron, having seen quite enough of the black-clad pretentiousness of Harvard but full of good memories of the Boston area and my family. I'm glad that I was able to show her my part of the world just as, long ago, I first gazed on the empty land horizon and visited her mother and siblings in a remote little prairie town. We're even now. What a country.

I am still in the Boston area but unfortunately all my remaining days are booked with important events. On Sunday, I hope to attend a concert in honor of my father's eighty-seventh birthday. Massachusetts Electron readers, I'd love to see you but at least for this visit I don't have the time.

I leave you, and Kansas, with this image of my friend contemplating the blue Atlantic horizon.

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