we missed the last ferry

We missed the last ferry by four minutes, and the man in the kiosk told us with genuine sympathy that the next one was in the morning. Five of us, two of whom we had only met at lunch. Somebody knew somebody with a bothy, and the shop had crisps, firewood and one enormous bar of chocolate left, so that was dinner sorted.

The wind tried the door all night. One phone played through everybody's music, and by two in the morning the two strangers were doing impressions of the ferry man that had us wheezing. I have made every crossing on time since, slightly disappointed each time.