Our only hesitation about buying Old Orchard Cottage? We weren't sure if this bay on the Northfork would have the white sand and waves as the ocean beaches of the Southfork we had grown to love.
We shared this qualm with Diane Dunbar, the real estate agent who had shown us the cottage last weekend, and asked if we might test out the beach one weekend to see how we liked it. She and her husband George live year round in their home and are active in the home association and she thought that would be just fine. So we went to check it out.
We actually saw Diane and George on the beach when we arrived. They gave us a hello wave. Despite private beach signs, no one approached us or asked for I.D. or anything. Everyone seemed very friendly. A bit further down the beach we could see a couple we thought looked like the owners of the cottage we had met the day of the viewing, John and Connie, relaxing in their beach chairs.
We set up in our usual style, with bags, umbrellas, chairs, and air mattresses and though we got out our beach reads, we didn't get very far. We were too busy soaking it all in.
The beach was not crowded for June. About a dozen or so families. Shelter Island was to our right and Orient was to our left. The sun was shining, a breeze was blowing, sailboats drifted past our view of Bug Lighthouse.
It took about five seconds for me to turn to Mary and Mary to turn to me and say: This could be ours!
Mary got on the phone to Diane. We could see her pick up. Mary made her our offer. Diane said "I'll call you right back."
We could see Diane get on the phone to John. We could see him pick up. They spoke briefly. They hung up.
Mary's cell phone rang. She picked up. She listened for a moment then said: "Thank you!" and nearly sprang from her seat and I did too.
We jumped up and down. We hugged each other. Then walked over to John and Connie, who would soon be our neighbors, as they had traded up to the larger place next door.
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