“Runaway” friends? What could I possibly mean by that?! Friends I’ve fought with … who left me?! Maybe because I was mean to them or maybe just because I needed to change deodorant? No … let me explain.Nancy and I just came home from a week at Runaway Hill on Harbour Island. Our refuge, our love for the past seven years. Where we stay. Simply? A joy. I’ve thought why … what is it about the place that jacks us up so every visit?Oh, of course. What you might expect from an island paradise. Sun, surf, sand. Nance and I both spent all our summers on the ocean. It’s part of who we are … in our bones. A DNA thing.

But we’ve been other places. From Bermuda to Barbados. Sun, surf, sand? Check. But nothing has ever compared with HI …The difference? All our friends at Runaway. I’m going to try to line ‘em all up here. But please forgive me guys if I miss anyone. You see … at my age the memory is the second thing to go. (Sorry about that one.)

There’s Jen (the magician who runs the place.) I can hear her laugh now.Krishna. Our beautiful, young chef. She should own the place. Her food? Why outsiders flock to Runaway like sparrows. “Best on the island!” Krishna. Jen? Sign her to a long term contract. Please.Then there’s Tammy, Oisha, Princess and Leslie … who treat us like royalty at every meal. Tyrez … my early morning buddy. Rashad … his smile? Every dinner’s appetizer. Giovanni and Jarrett … Bombas, Pinot Coladas, Gin (Hic! thanks guys!) … personalities, fun unmatched. Jonas … I call him “bulldog” … there isn’t anything he can’t fix … Oh, other than our shower this visit. Finally stumped him! Ben … the guy raking the beach at 5:30am each new day. The beautiful ladies more behind the scenes … straightening our room, in the kitchen. Gardening. All of them. On and on.Fellow guests we’ve met over the years. This time? Shelley and Raya … Gar and Weissy … the guy and his wife from Boston (memory thing again) … Camille (never forget Camille) and Peter … Gary and Pat. Buck and Kelly … who lodged elsewhere, but “

We come here every night for dinner.” Long term contract, right Jen?

ALL OF MY FRIENDS … MY RUNAWAY FRIENDS!!

Get it? Kinda like any community. Friends make it special. Friends make the experience … total. We’ll go to Runaway until we can’t. Sun, surf, sand. But all our Runaway friends will really be … well … why we’ll go back … until we can’t.God speed good friends … so, so well done.Thank you …