I meet Molly at Fat Stan’s. I don’t really know her that well, but I remember when we first met on the Nona.

I got picked up from the airport on a boat. Still a ridiculous memory!

I joined her after the eternally long day of training, and she had a friend to her right with short brown hair. She was sitting at the bar and knitting, you know like ya do.

Molly said: “You have to be careful about the guys around here. There are a lot of good looking fishermen but a lot of them are jerks or alcoholics.” Noted.

I asked her why this developed. She said “Well, first of all, the guys get used to sleeping with seasonals because they come in for the Summer and just sleep around. They’re not looking for relationships, most of the time, so it works in their favor if they just want to sleep around.” Noted.

“Also guys can just be really weird up here. They fish commercially and they just get used to coming to the bars after work and getting blasted. They can be kind of strange.” Still noted.

But Molly turns to her short-haired friend and says “But not Lindsey! Lindsey found a good one.” I ask Lindsey about it.

“I met him here. I work at Dry Goods. I’ve been here since 2011 and I think I’m a lifer. I’ve convinced two other friends to move here too and I’ll just keep bringing people out, I guess. I’m originally from Chicago” (so now you know Lindsey).

“So how did you meet Cole?”

“He’s from here!” (I don’t remember the first time they met. I’m sure I asked, but this conversation was back in May!).

Molly said “Yeah he’s one of the few really good ones.”

Lindsey said “Yeah you’ve heard the phrase ‘The goods are odd but the odds are good’? Well. It’s true.”

“So when do you get married?” “August 20th!”

And she did. It was here in town. The pics look fab.

But also, her then fiancé walked into the bar after having worked on laying pavement all day. He lichrally looked like a raccoon, covered in soot. He sat at the bar, drank a beer, and I thought “Well I’m not in Atlanta anymore.” I was kind of relieved at how relaxed things are here but also a little shocked. Culture shock? Who knows.

And I have seen several attractive fishermen roam through this town, xtra tuffs carhartts and hoodies. It’s like a weird way of life. They are in town for a day or so, or they are working here for the season. I look at them, appreciate they’re beauty, and then assume that they’re probably trouble.

Meanwhile my facebook feed is post after post of gender reveal cakes by my friends in the South. And I’m here in Southeast Alaska evading the gaze of libidinous fishermen. And everyone else is trying to catch Pokemon God Help Us All.

And that’s that.