Kudos to…Bungee Cords

There are certain items you need here in Bermuda that quickly become must haves. When planning our move, Joy and I made a list—things like beach chairs, coolers, sunblock. They all come in handy, and we’re glad we planned ahead considering how expensive things can be here, but no one item has been more handy, more clutch, than our trusty bungee cords. I bought them at Masters—what I thought was the Home Depot of Bermuda before I found Gorham’s just down the block—and it was only my second day here. It was after my first trip to the market while riding my Smatt’s rental scooter. Not yet the grocery store veteran that I am now, I didn’t bring a backpack to fill with my daily purchases, so I stuffed them in my scooter’s rear wire basket. I did my best to cram it all in, but sure enough, after driving over one of the island’s ubiquitous speed bumps my stack of paper plates up and popped out. No harm done, really. I was able to safely pull over and retrieve the plates, but had it been my jar of roasted garlic tomato sauce I might be singing a different tune right now. And so, the very next day I sought out my bungee cords. They’re amazing and necessary for pretty much every island errand when you don’t have a car. How else can you bring home a five-foot-tall dust mop? Or a long tube of yet-to-be-framed art to the frame shop? Or your fancy new beach chairs to the beach? It’s all about the bungee. And as for as for those groceries, they’ve stayed put ever since.