In our little experiment with saving editorial cartooning, which is nationwide going the way of the buggy whip, The Leader grants Nhattaleah Nichols wide latitude in thinking about what a cartoon can and should be.

So this week, instead of something political or topical, she has offered this snippet of a lovely story she heard at the Wooden Boat Festival.

To readers who expect three frames and a punchline, here’s what Nhatt’s up to:

“I’m more of a graphic journalist,” she wrote, “sometimes making editorial comments (like my comics on THING), and sometimes telling the real stories of this community. This comic is in the latter category.”

“When 30,000 people come to your small town for a big festival it can be easy to lose sight of the individuals that make an event like this not only welcome, but remarkable. This is a story from the tugboat Geraldine and her owner about why she made the trip north from Tacoma with four adults, one preteen, and a ginger cat, and what the healing power of boats and community can look like when faced with losing a friend.

Shannon Shea is the executive director of Tacoma Boat Builders, the nonprofit that teaches youth offenders woodworking, sailing and life skills.”