"Pappy, I want you to tell me one about the beach," little Kai asked full of wonder. Her eyes reflected the sparkling waters and foaming waves that crashed against the sands.
"I told you one yesterday," he said with a smile. Russell was Kai's grandfather, and he grew up in San Fransisco. During the 60's, his parents would take him to Marshall's Beach to build sandcastles.
He went with his friends when he got older and watched the women walk and swim. Once in a while, a girl would notice them and start to waltz their way. "You boys came here single?" And whether or not any of them did, one would answer coyly, "Now, why would a pretty lady like you be asking us folks such a question?" Sometimes they'd get a girl, sometimes they wouldn't.
But there was one day in the summer of '67 when a certain gal couldn't keep her eyes off Russell. "Hey, Rusty, that one girlie's been eyin' you up this whole time," nudged Steven. "Yeah, right. We haven't been able to pick up a girl since last summer!" Russell turned to face his secret admirer.
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She had butterscotch skin that complimented the sun. Her long chestnut hair was pulled back in a bun. And as she came closer, he noticed her eyes. Those stunningly mysterious eyes- they were amethyst. Her orbs seemed to lure Russell in and he couldn't stop staring at her. Before he knew it, he was walking over to the juice bar where she was sitting.
"Could I buy you a smoothie?" He asked, shamelessly flirting. "Depends on how much money you have," she said in a smoky voice. She looked him up and down before her violet orbs refocused on his. "I think I've got enough to buy us a treat." Russell walked over to the man behind the counter. "I'll have one coconut smoothie, and-" his face squished up in thought- "strawberry banana for the lady." As he walked back to their table, he heard her say, "Oh, and... m'name's Maria."
--
That day at the beach was the best day of Russell's life... the day he found true love. The couple went to the beach every day after that and watched the sunset over the Pacific waters. A few years later, they stopped going. They heard about the Zodiac and feared they would get attacked. But later in '75, Maria decided they should have a baby. They named her Faye, and 25 years after that, Faye gave birth to Kai.
What breaks Russell's heart is that Kai doesn't get to see the beaches as he did. Now, they just look like floating garbage dumps- they're filled with plastic. The dolphins don't swim around here anymore and the birds fly around with bottles stuck on their beaks. If only he would have known it would turn into this.
