Decoding Wellfleet (2)

The town bells have become for me a way not to tell what time it is but rather where I am. If I hear them loud, then I know I must be close to the cottage I rented for the summer. Who would have thought bells could be used as a compass?

I did manage to crack the code, but since I often nap in the afternoons, I'm never quite sure how many bells rang just before the one that woke me up. In these cases, I must wait half an hour before hopping back on the time wagon again.

I just heard the eight bells of four o'clock, which remind me that I am late for tennis. That's what happens when you rely on a system you do not actually understand and neglect your smart phone. These bells are clearly for workers of the sea and I'm a land person on vacation.

Wellfleet offers much more to tourists than a defective clock. For active people like me, it has fabulous tennis courts and even more fabulous pickleball courts, a new sport invented for people who never bothered to take tennis lessons.

For those who prefer life threatening activities, I recommend cycling around town, with its numerous blind driveways and narrow streets. If you can make it to Kendrick street alive, the view of Cape Cod Bay will be your reward.

On the way back, the churche's green roof top and the sound of the bells will direct you to where you came from. But following your inspiration might give you better odds of getting to where you want to go.