Copyright 2005 By Bucky Edgett
“OK,” said Uncle Bucky, “Time to hit the beach.”
Toshie was spending a week at the beach. Momma was there, and Baby Nicholas, and Toshie’s grandmother Yo. So were Aunt Loie and Uncle Bucky. Poppa was home going to work and band practice. He would come to the beach on the next weekend.
Everyone had a wonderful time at the beach. Aunt Loie and Uncle Bucky went out every day to see special birds. Yo took lots of naps in her chaise lounge on the beach. Momma and Nicky played in the sand. Even Toshie’s Alexandra liked to sit in the bright sun. But Toshie did not like the beach. She did not like to go in the water.
Momma said, “Yo is up on the beach already. I think Nicky and I are going to stay in for a while. He’s had enough sun. Toshie, why don’t you go up with Aunt Loie and Uncle Bucky?” Toshie would have liked to stay with Momma and read a book, far from the ocean waves. But she said, “Yes, Momma. I will take some books and Alexandra will come, too.”
“That’s good, sweetheart,” said Momma. “We’ll be up after Nicky’s nap.”
Toshie found Yo on the beach. Yo was sitting in her chaise lounge, reading.
“Ready for a little dip?” asked Uncle Bucky.
“I’ll just get my feet wet,” said Yo. “Do you want to get your feet wet, Toshie?”
“On no, Yo,” said Toshie. “Alexandra and I will read our books.” Toshie settled herself on the towel under Momma’s beach umbrella. She put Alexandra down next to her.
The three grownups went down to the water. Yo stood in the foam at the edge while Aunt Loie and Uncle Bucky swam and ducked in the waves. Uncle Bucky liked to jump over and dive through. Aunt Loie preferred to scrunch down small and let the waves pass over her.
“Come on, Toshie,” called Aunt Loie, “The water’s nice and warm today.” Toshie just shook her head no.
Soon everyone had a good dip. As they walked back to their beach spot, Aunt Loie said, “Let’s walk down the beach. We can collect wampum.”
“I feel too lazy,” said Uncle Bucky. “You go ahead. I’m just going to read for a while.”
Aunt Loie put on her sun hat and a shirt, and set out on her walk. Yo read in her lounger. Soon she pulled her floppy hat down over her eyes, and was taking a little nap. Uncle Bucky lay on his towel and read his book. The ocean waves made a roaring noise as they rushed onto the sand. Far down the beach, Feed Me Noodles seagulls called “a-kee-kee-kee.”
As the tide came slowly in, waves began to leave a pool along the beach. The bright sun warmed the tide pool.
“Look at me swimming,” said Yowie. “Come on in, Toshie.” Yowie was splashing and wallowing in the tidal pool.
“No, no, Yowie,” said Toshie. “I don’t like to swim.”
“There aren’t any ocean waves,” said Yowie. It was true. The water in the tidal pool was collecting as the waves, broken on the slope of the First Hump, slid over its top in thin sheets of water, gently filling the long low area between the First Hump and the Dunes. The pool was far from the ocean waves.
“Come on, Toshie,” called Yowie. “It’s warm and fun.”
“You watch us,” Toshie said to Alexandra. She knew that everyone had to be watched when they went in the water, in case there was trouble. She walked the few steps to where Yowie was stirring up the sandy bottom as he splashed and jumped. He was right. The pool’s water was warm and soft. It was fun to splash and sit and turn about in the tidal pool. Not every wave slid over the First Hump, but when one did a ripple of cooler ocean moved over the surface of the tidal pool.
“Look at me, Toshie,” said Yowie. “I’m swimming.” He stretched out on his belly in the shallow water and waved his arms, making a lot of water splash around.
“Me too,” said Toshie. “I’m swimming, too.”
“We’re going under,” said Yowie. Toshie had just time to take one deep breath, then they were right under the water. Toshie looked down at the sandy bottom. Colorful butterfly clams waved hello with their tiny feeding tubes. Mole crabs popped out of the sand, then burrowed back in again. A beautiful purple-spotted Lady Crab swam by. Yowie and Toshie turned onto their backs, and saw the Bright Sun all broken and sparkling through the ripples on the surface of the pool. A seagull flew over and spun about in the air. Toshie felt the thrum of the ocean waves through the sandy bottom.
Yowie sat up and so did Toshie.
“Come on, Toshie,” said Yowie. “Let’s bring Alexandra swimming.”
“Hi, everybody,” said Momma. “Nicky and I are hitting the beach. Has everyone had a nice nap?”
“No, no, Momma,” said Toshie. “Yowie and I went swimming in the pool and we saw crabs.” Toshie didn’t see Uncle Bucky shake his head at Momma.
“Now I will take Alexandra swimming.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I don’t think it’s a good idea to take Alexandra swimming,” said Momma. “She takes such a long time to dry out.” Yo was awake now.
“Uncle Bucky, did you watch Toshie while she was swimming?” asked Yo. Uncle Bucky winked at Yo and said, “I guess she had a good swim. That Yowie’s an instigator.” Aunt Loie was back from her walk, with a shirt pocket full of beautiful wampum. Everyone inspected her treasure, then decided it was time for the beachers to have lunch.
That night Poppa came to the beach. Uncle Bucky and Momma told him that Toshie said she and Yowie were swimming in the tidal pool.
“Wow,” said Poppa. “That’s a surprise.”
And everyone was surprised to hear Toshie ask to go to the beach right after breakfast the next morning.
“Can’t I even have my coffee?” asked Poppa.
“No, no, Poppa, we must go to the beach now,” said Toshie. Momma laughed and said that she’d bring Poppa his coffee in a bit. So everyone, except Momma and Baby Nicholas hurried to get ready to hit the beach. Of course Uncle Bucky was ready first. There was no tidal pool on the beach that morning.
“Morning tide’s not high enough,” said Uncle Bucky. “Got to have that new moon pulling it up a little.” And then everyone was very surpried to hear Toshie ask Poppa to take her swimming.
“But there’s no pool, Peanut,” said Poppa. “You mean in the ocean?”
“Yes, Poppa,” said Toshie. “In the ocean waves.”
“It’s a nice mother’s ocean,” Aunt Loie. “Let’s all have our First Dip.” Yo watched from the edge as Aunt Loie and Uncle Bucky splashed into the calm slow waves that were not even as high as their waists. When they got our far enough to paddle and bob, they turned to watch Poppa and Toshie walking to the water.
A small low wave came in toward Toshie and Poppa. When the tiny wave went past, Toshie squatted down and the wave splashed past her waist. Poppa was so surprised he almost let go of Toshie’s hand. But he didn’t, and had to bend down to keep his grip. Toshie stood up and pulled Poppa out a little further. The next wave went over her head as she rolled herself into a ball on the sand.
Yo and Aunt Loie and Uncle Bucky all clapped and cheered for Toshie. Momma cheered too, and handed Poppa his coffee as he and Toshie met Momma and Baby Nicholas at the umbrella.
“Oh, Toshie,” said Momma, “what a big swimming girl you are. Poppa, that’s the first time she’s been in. And she ducked under.”
“The first time, Peanut?” asked Poppa.
“I like swimming,” said Toshie.
“And we have to go home tomorrow,” said Poppa.
“Oh, don’t say it,” said Uncle Bucky. He and Aunt Loie had come up to the beach spot, to congratulate Toshie.
“I hate to leave the beach,” said Yo.
“We’ll be back next year,” said Aunt Loie.
Toshie said, “And we will all swim and swim. But not Alexandra. She takes too long to dry.”
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