“Beaches are just not the same anymore.”
Simon was not happy. He wanted to spend the day at home in the garden, relaxing in a comfortable place reading a book, but no. The kids were bored and his wife Marian decided it would be a good idea to go to the beach. The boys would love a day out swimming in the sea and playing on the beach.
“Anything for a quiet life” Simon thought and he packed the beach ball, swim ring and towels in the car. Marian was not just watching, she was preparing some food to take with them. So Simon climbed into the car, two boys in the back seats and Marian at his side and tried to prepare himself psychologically for a day out with the family. He was not happy. They eventually arrived. He was glad that there were few people on the beach, and managed to persuade himself that it would not be so bad after all. Spreading his towel out on the beach he made himself comfortable and began to read.
“Hey daddy, come and play.” It was Harry, the youngest of the two boys.
“Harry go and play with your brother Tom.”
“I can’t dad, he is being miserable and crying.”
Simon was immediately awake. “What is the matter with Tom.”
“He climbed up that big ring thing sticking half way out of the beach and fell off” was the answer.
Simon walked over to Tom to see the damage. “What’s the trouble son? Does it hurt?”
“Like hell dad, fell on my foot, look.”
Simon was not happy with what he saw. The ankle was twice as large as usual and already changing into a bluish colour. Simon walked over to Marian, but where was she. She was nowhere to be seen.
“Harry do you know where your mother is?”
“She said she was going to that place where the ladies go, you know, the toilet.”
“Aha, I see.” So there was nothing for Simon to do but just wait.
In the meanwhile Harry got impatient. “I am going for a swim dad” he said and before Simon could say no, he was gone. Marian eventually arrived from her visit.
“Marian, we have a problem” said Simon.
“I know” answered Marian.
“How comes you know, did you see Tom fall off that big concrete piece of nuisance.”
“I havn’t got a clue what you are talking about Simon. I mean my lip.”
“What’s wrong with your lip. Oh yes, I can see, it is quite swollen.”
“Of course it is, I decided to take a cola and there was a bee sitting on the glass. It stung me on the lip, see how it is swelling up, I think I will have to go to the doctor.”
In the meanwhile Simon heard quite a commotion on the beach and he saw one of the beach staff dragging a body out of the sea which had a remarkable likeness to Harry. Yes it was Harry.
Simon ran as fast as he could, and arrived just as Harry started coughing water up out of his lungs. The lifeguard had probably saved his life after seeing him go under water for the third time. Harry had caught his foot in some seaweed and everything got out of control.
Eventually Simon did manage to read his book in quiet. While he was waiting in the hospital for Tom’s foot to be x-rayed and afterwards put into plaster, the ligaments were torn. The doctor said he would be all right eventually, but it would take a few weeks until he could walk again. Marian was being kept in hospital as she was allergic to bee sting and she remained under observation. And Harry, he just had to stay in hospital to make sure there had been no permanent damage done.
“Beaches are just not the same any more.”
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