A Day at the Beach.
(True story and Fiction)
He was there with friends but ever since he arrived only one thing was on his mind, the ocean.
It'd been so long he wanted to hug it.
Hanging out with friends was always great, no doubt. The food, drinks, laughs and gists. But the ocean had a different pull. It was a dear friend.
Soon he’d vanish, he’d tell them where he was headed but they’d not think much of it. “Why would anyone want to leave all this for water?”
'How can you love someone so much and yet be apart for so long?' He asked himself as his feet made contact. It felt as though it had rushed up to him and hugged his legs. It had been too long.
He had survived on pictures and dreams, but today he was here. Right here with his friend!
He took a walk along the shore, close enough for the water to touch his feet but not go beyond his ankles. He could taste the salt in the air. 'This should be home!'
He soon settled for a spot, planted himself there and that became home...
He was at his desk, knee deep in the water just as he always wanted. He could go far a swim in an instant, and come back to continue working. It was his dream home.
The pool linked to the ocean allowing him to also swim out to sea anytime he chose to.
His office and bedroom, the only other places he spent most of his time had the magnificent view but this here had the experience. It was heaven!
He soon looked up and saw what could only be a dorsal fin just above the surface, approaching.
Everything he knew about sharks told him they didn't have any around here, maybe it was a dolphin. But dolphins rarely swam alone so it must be a shark.
Was he splashing water that much to make the shark think he was prey? Or was it just curious having spotted his legs from afar? Well, he was about to find out.
He secured items on his desk and got ready to go in. Then he remembered there was a wall between his pool and the deep blue. It was somewhat elastic and he was guaranteed it wouldn’t hurt any ocean life. But what if it wasn’t up? What if he had forgotten to take it back up last time he swam out? What if it wasn’t strong enough to hold back a shark?
At least he’d finally get to meet one in person. He hoped the security cameras would get a good angle so he’d at least be able to identify the specie and share his encounter.
He imagined if it had migrated this way, maybe others would join after finding the area suitable. He could have a shark family and be part of a community that cared for and protected them. He was excited!
For a split second he thought back and was shocked how rather than panicking he was actually looking forward to this. Wow!
'Who gets excited about meeting a shark? Me!' He answered himself with a big smile.
Just as he took off his shirt, ready to go in...
He got several taps on his shoulder. "Afolabi!, Afolabi!!, it's time to go home!"
He recognised the voice, turned and followed it.
It was dark already and he was hungry. How long had he being gone?
He looked back one last time, maybe he'd see his shark.
‘Goodbye my friend’, he said to the ocean. 'Hope next time will be sooner than the last?'
'I wonder what our next adventure will be!'
- Written Dec 5 2022
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