My phone startled me as it vibrated against my leg
and I watched another set of waves break against the shore. I usually don’t answer
my phone anymore if I don’t recognize the number but today for some odd reason
I swished my finger across the screen and accepted the call.
“Hello?” I asked which was followed by a moment of
silence as if the caller knew I never answered my phone.
“Oh hi, this is Bella Knight, I am researching a
story for a local paper. Do you have time to talk about a few details?”
It was quite a relief to discover that it wasn’t another
solar contractor, window replacement pitch or farm aid plea and that someone actually
wanted to talk to me. She was friendly, motivated and I decided at that very
moment I would do everything in my power to help dig up some useful information
for my fellow journalist even if I had to make up it.
So far today was going exceptionally well as we were
able to find a parking space near Law Street public beach access, several
semi-clean, open bathroom stalls as well as a small patch of unclaimed sand
that was surrounded by a mote of kelp. Sand flies attracted by the rotting kelp
seemed to sense a better meal had arrived and immediately began to devour me
from top to bottom.
Quickly I unfurled my fold-out sand chair, slathered
myself with zinc oxide and sat down to begin a long stretch of “people watching”.
My wife had accompanied me and was busy getting her boogie board ready for the
surf. She insists that my highly developed skill of “people watching” can
really be condensed down to ogling young women in skimpy bikinis but that is
just simply not true!
It is actually very enlightening to watch people at
the beach as they engaged in activities that one would only do while running
around half naked on the sand. Some of these activities probably resemble games
Stone Age people played as they discovered sticks and round stones and began to
bat them around on the ground.
Take paddleball for instance. Has anyone actually seen
this game being played at home, in the park or at any other public place?
Usually a typical paddleball scenario goes like this: player one hits rubber
ball towards player two but the ball veers off and hits a total stranger who was
sleeping stretched out on their towel. Player two says “Oh, I am so sorry”
retrieves ball, blushes and returns volley in the direction of player one. The
ball veers off again into the surf and on and on this ritual goes until player
one gets tired or player two decides he is hungry.
Next on my list of favorite people watching skills
is the appreciation of “body art” that is unabashingly displayed as one strips
down to enjoy the ocean’s shore. Now, just before I alienate a good portion of
my younger readers it is a fact that my generation did not have the opportunity
to enjoy organ piercings, body art or snot and lint catchers of any kind.
While sitting in my chair I soon became fascinated by
some of the art I saw. Some designs were really quite beautiful being carefully
positioned and originally created while others took on a sort of silk screen
print image that one might duplicate a hundred times for a long line of
unsuspecting customers.
The one I especially liked depicted a full set of
angel wings from shoulders to waist. The design’s dark rigid straight lines
must have cost a fortune, been extremely painful and taken several weeks to
complete. I’ll stop to say that I am extremely grateful that no one has thought
to reproduce Darth Maul on their face.
I will say this, in defense of all my unsuspecting victims,
that at least they were doing something. Walking, running, playing, just having
fun while I just spent my entire day at the beach just sitting covered from head
to toe desperately trying to escape the fury of solar radiation. How pathetic
is that? Right?
So let wisdom ring from the fool’s choir and let us fully
enjoy the life that God has granted us. Play paddleball, get body art and
exercise to the fullest. Don’t wake up someday at ninety-eight and realize that
life has passed you by.
Be kind to one another, esteeming others more worthy
than yourself. Take a deep and long breath only to let it out
slowly. Smell several roses as you pass by while you allow their fragrance to elevate
you to higher thought. Praise your Creator for how fearfully and wonderfully
made you are. Admire swimwear and the all forms that fill them.
