A Big Dream

Chapter 47: Go Kayaking

𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘆

Ben has an odd sense of satiating his hunger. He is eyeing the fishes in the aquarium and is thinking of eating them. On hearing the front gate being latched, the old man assures that the invader is Alex himself. He comes across the hallway and is caught off guard by his new visitors.

"Hi, Alex," Ben carries out his greeting.

"Hi, Ben. What a surprise!" he sits on the couch beside him.

"These are my friends, Sandy, Tassy, and Katie," he uses his hand to introduce us to him.

"Well, nice to meet you," he shakes hand with all three of us.

"How is Nancy? Are you still dating her," he is not aware of Katie being Ben's girlfriend. She gives him a piercing look for how he would respond to the mention of Nancy.

"Nope, man. Katie is my girlfriend," he looks at Katie with a grin on his face, and Alex gets it.

"Well, did Matt wait on you?" Alex asks.

Before Ben would say something, I ask,

"Is kayaking allowed here?"

"Yes, Sandy. You can even fish here. But, the presence of alligators is a major threat," he announces.

Ben's hunger has no sense for alligators. The mention of fish makes him salivate, and he says,

"Let the alligators have their Gulf waters while we kayak and catch some fishes," he giggles.

I shake my head and keep going with the crew. We stroll along a promenade and pick our kayaks from a rental. We choose a 3-person kayak for Alex, Ben and Katie, and a 2-person kayak for Tassy and me.

We fling on our swimmer vest for safety and start kayaking.

The Pass Christian Beach called as "The Pass" is said to be the 'Birthplace of Yachting in the South'. It seems Theodore Roosevelt used to rendezvous with friends here on the beach.

While paddling, we spot a couple of dolphins spring up and dive into the water. It is quite stunning to watch!

Many anglers are trying to catch a fish from a small boat. I swing the fishing rod and cast the bait. Honestly, Ben don't know how to tackle the rod.

I turn my head to have a look at him. He is anxiously waiting for his prey to be get caught. I wonder how he managed to do it, but then I know it's a world of web. He might have googled it.

When I watch him over for a possible catch in his hook, he stands up as he reels in. In a snap of a finger, he topples on his kayak and falls into the water. For a second, we are shell-shocked. We don't find him for a minute, and I thought he is a goner.

But, when his head surfaces above water, we all let out a sign of relief. He is holding a redfish in his hand, and shouts,

"Yay, I got it."

I catch a flounder while Ben catches many a fish to my surprise. I suppose, his hunger let him do so.

When it's time for the sundown, Alex came up with the idea of hosting a beach bonfire. He called up some of his close friends and invite them. Then, he lights a bonfire somewhere near the shoreline. It's getting chilly, and the fire keeps us warm.

Ben is talking gibberish to his girlfriend, Katie and she seems to be adoring him. What a strange couple! All of Alex's friends run towards the bonfire and are kinda excited.

Tassy and I prop dry branches to the wood in the bonfire to prevent it from being burnt out. Alex is busy engaging his friends by playing his guitar, and we listen to his singing. We take in the serene starry night with our hands intertwined.

Guess what Ben is doing. He is cooking his fresh fish in the bonfire, and taking in the aroma.