Whitehead described the dynamics of a summer community with accuracy. It rang very true to my Midwest experience of a summer cottage on a lake while growing-up. Who's out it huge. The first thing I did was check-out who was "out" for the summer. It was very important,I needed to know what kind of summer to expect.
There was also a social distinction for those who did not have a second home, for example they went to the local school by the lake. There was prestige in being able to travel and have a lake home. There was prestige in having lakefront versus backrow house with lake access. We would cut across lawns or walk in the shallow water to see if we could spot children inside cottages. If there was someone new, we spied on them from afar. Weekend renters were the hardest;we desired to play with them, but never did so because we knew that they would only last a week or two. Also, a dissonance reviberated through the cove when a neighbor did rent out their cottage. The adults muttered, the kids muttered, but it was known not to say anything because someone would only do that if it was a necessary evil. How could anyone choose not to spend their summer with the warm breeze, the water recreation, and good company.
There were cliques with adults and cliques with children. The fascinating part, much like in the story is that the socializing was a large part of the community. The summer was one long party that ended at Labor Day. It was the vacation spot that was the common bond for these individuals that came from all different communities, without the vacation spot these individuals' lives would have never entwined. When the individuals go back to their primary residence, there is no communication between them over the winter.
Each summer is its own "summer romance", one that is surely to end. That is also why asking how long a person is out is so important. How long will it be till we have to say goodbye?
