A Day at the Beach with Mom
We started our journey on a beautiful sunny Tuesday. It was a delightful two hour drive with the windows down and our hair blowing around. I smiled knowing I would soon be sitting on the beach in ideal seventy-five degree bliss.
We were assigned a room on the third floor and I managed to get all of our luggage upstairs without too much of a problem, seeing as they have an elevator. I set the bags on one of the beds, turned to open the window and was face to face with a view of the ocean that was nothing less than breathtaking.
“Are you ready to go on the beach?” I asked my mother with a smile.
“I think I’ll just sit up here in the room and look out.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to actually go out onto the beach?” I ask, my heart slowly dropping.
“No, I was thinking I’m going to watch Dr. Phil shortly. I saw a commercial earlier and it looked like it was going to be a good one.”
You have got to be kidding me. I drove two hours to the beach, rented a hotel room with ocean views for two nights, and you are going to watch Dr. Phil, I thought to myself. I debated if it would be rude to skip on out the door and bury my toes in the sand. I sighed and stayed put for a little bit. We sat. We watched Dr. Phil and it even turned out to be a depressing one!
“Are you ready to go to the beach?” I asked my mother.
“I was hoping we could run to Acme and get some things first.”
I sighed, resigned myself to the fact I was heading to a grocery store for a few things and knew the beach would be waiting for me when I got back.
“Are you ready to go to the beach?” I asked.
“Go on without me. I think I’m just going to sit up here and look at the ocean.”
I didn’t wait for another suggestion, out the door I went and down to the beach. After setting up my small chair and tucking my toes into the sand, I sat to read a novel while soaking in some rays. The breeze was soft and the sun felt wonderful on my skin.
“Ouch.” What else was that on my skin? I look down at the sand flies and tiny sand fleas who are now feasting on my legs. You have got to be kidding me. After all of twenty minutes I couldn’t take it anymore. Within minutes, both of my arms had red rashes over them and one even started to swell slightly. Guess where we headed back to later than night? You guessed it, Acme for bug spray and anti-itch gel so I could enjoy my next day on the beach!
Wednesday didn’t hold much more hope for me. I finally got my mom to come down to the beach with me, but guess what she forgot to put on! You guessed it, bug spray. After prodding and coaxing her, she answered, “I don’t need it; I’ll be fine.” We lasted about twenty minutes!
I may have been a little grumpy come Thursday, seeing as the two best weather days in May while at the beach, I didn’t get much beach time. The forecast has rain in the forecast for five more days. Maybe there’s a good show on Dr. Phil.
