Salty Skin: The Sacred Debate

This may be the wrong forum for this particular discussion, but these are vital questions locals need to answer, lest we become overrun with clueless and smug dit dots. 

"What is sacred?" is continually being asked at the Saltwater Connections meetings. Everyone who lives here is encouraged to attend. They serve good food, and it's free.

I propose that winter is sacred. Hopefully, climate change won't make the island so inviting that people want to be here in January. Or February, or even most of March.  Egad.

Except the hunters, and others who love miserable weather. Shooting waterfowl is a vital part of our economy and tradition. Hunters add a pleasant camo backdrop to the winter landscape. Bonus!

Another thing I consider sacred about living here: I love cutting through my neighbors yards. Do I want tourists walking through my yard? Frankly, no. Please don't. But if a local stopped using the nearest footpath between point A and point B because it skirted my home, that would hurt my feelings. Do I trespass on private land when I am finding my own route on foot? Why, yes, yes I do.

Can I please just flash my "I live here" card and get away with it? Because if I can't, I'm going to start looking for another town to live in. Seriously.

More questions to answer: What is a "local"? What is an Ococker? Can I become one?

My attempts to answer these questions have led to flow charts with all sorts of components, most of them unwieldy. The equation that = Ococker involves factors like paternal and maternal lineages, multipliers such as time spent and distance traveled away from the island, and subtle shadings of taste, language, and skills. Just ask Steve Wilson. He'll explain it to you. Yes, you can cut through my yard anytime, Glowie. And that one was for you, Joanie.

It occurs to me now that Hatterassers, Kinnakeeters, and people from Down East, which I stubbornly think of as Core Sounders, may be able to help out with these nuances.

Isn't this fun?

Go ahead and draw your own lines in the sand. Let's establish some boundaries. Let's make sure our visitors know who we are, and that they respect our traditions.

How many year round residents can the village of Ocracoke support? How many do we want it to support? What is an acceptable level of median income?

What should the town motto be? I've got ideas about that one, too, and so should you. Modest proposals:

"Ocracoke: We Fear Change."

"Driving Drunk at Lower Speeds"

"We're Not All About Hard Work, and You Shouldn't Be, Either"

Still reading? Well, good for you!

Now get thinking, and planning for future glory. If I don't personally hear from Philip Howard in the next 24 hours, I will consider this attempt at writing a loss.