Who Needs A Beach Day?
I’m staring at the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She’s wearing white crochet and picking up dog poop. The dog’s name is Toby. She doesn’t tell me that, I hear her call him. In nearby beach chairs, her sister swaps bikini tops with their grandmother. They mix-and-match: trading a black halter top for a floral one.
There aren’t a lot of waves today. It's a Wednesday afternoon but there are still two dozen people on the water. I like referring to people in dozens. It makes me think of fresh farm eggs. I’ve decided not to process my emotions, and instead to sit in the sun. This is my usual solution and it hasn't failed me yet.
Someone named Mick comes up and tries to talk to me. Or maybe his name is Michael. He makes a face and tells me, I’m an actor, bleh. I understand the sentiment. He also makes surfboards. In LA we call this a multi-hyphenate.
The smell of smoke carries on the breeze, as the girl behind me puffs rather aggressively. Ahhh. Her situationship is here with another girl. You’d think by age 37 men would stop being pigs. She can’t be more than 24. He’s lied to her, and her friend promptly confirms that she is just as pretty as New Girl with the Tattoos. I agree, but mostly because I love her feminine rage. Also, New Girl with the Tattoos has a dog that looks like a rat. I nod my head in agreement from three meters away.
Rat girl, rat girl.
We all think rat girl is beautiful, but we agree to her rat-ness since only one of us has a cigarette to smoke.
It’s a good day for other people’s problems.
I close my eyes gently. My mom told me when I was little that squinting creates wrinkles and unnecessary tension. Eyes still closed, I hear humming and stay very still. A bee flies by my towel. I’m not afraid of it but if it drops dead near me I could get canceled. I wait it out and make my next decision.
I’m going to go for a swim, and squeal a little bit when seaweed touches my foot. Then I’ll lay in the sun again, and when no one’s looking, take a little lick of the salt that has dried on my arm. Just a little one.
Nothing wrong with a little lick.