Sequel: Palm Trees ›
Seashells
spelled your name wrong
July 4th, 2001
Your mom ended up inviting my family to the beach for the holiday. It didn't really make a difference since everyone on the island went to the beach every year on the fourth, but the thought was nice.
When we got there, there were dark clouds in the sky that threatened rain, but no one really cared. We set up our chairs and umbrellas anyway, as if it was a perfectly sunny day.
"Go and play," your mom said.
Now, we considered ourselves a bit too old for "playing". But I loved the beach, especially making sandcastles and you know that. If you remember, that is.
Your little sister was there. She was about five at the time, I think, and she asked me to build a sandcastle with her. I agreed, since she actually had a bucket and all.
I wanted to ask you to join us but I was too shy and too afraid. So I just didn't say anything. Luckily for me, your sister yelled, "Aden, come here!"
"I don't want to build a sandcastle," you said, and you walked out further into the water, letting it wash over your toes. Then - and I remember this clearly - you leaned over and picked up a seashell. And for some reason, you threw it back into the sand.
I didn't really think anything of this, and I continued building my dream palace with Emily. She wasn't much help, but at least she let me use her bucket. As I remember it, it was one made specifically to build sandcastles with.
The day went on. We stopped occasionally to eat and have our parents check with us. I remember you were in the water, swimming in the shallow areas. And sometimes, you would pick up a seashell. But you always threw them back on the ground.
The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. I finished my sandcastle with Emily, and I have to admit, it was quite majestic. I still have pictures of it somewhere. Maybe I'll attach one to these letters.
After we were done, I discovered that I had nothing else to do. I just stood there on the beach, unconsciously making lines in the sand with my foot. That was when you came back from the water.
"Look," you said. I was confused for a second, but then I looked down to see that you were doing the same thing as I was. Except your lines actually meant something. When you were done, the lines in the sand spelled out "C-A-S-S-I-D-Y".
"Cassidy," I read aloud.
"Yup," you said. "Now write mine, so we can be even."
"Umm, okay," I said. I then proceeded to write your name in the sand. When I was done, I looked up at you to see that you were frowning.
"You spelled my name wrong."
I looked down at it. A-I-D-A-N. At the time, I didn't know it was wrong. I had never seen your name written down before, and out loud the names sounded exactly the same. I just assumed, since there was a boy in my second grade class with that name.
"Oh, sorry," I mumbled. I quickly tried to erase it so I could fix the letters, but that just made it messy.
"Here," you said. And you fixed your name. A-D-E-N.
You stood back to admire your work, and it then struck me that we had our names together in the sand. It was like I saw in the movies. The typical, cheesy scene of couples' names written together.
I had no idea what to say about it, so I just stood there. I was just about to say something about how we should go back to our families, but then a drop of water hit me in the eye. I let out a small squeal and you said, "What?" Then a drop of water hit your cheek. "Oh. It's raining."
I didn't answer, I just stared at the letters in the sand. You didn't say anything. I remember we just stood there, even as the rain started pouring. We stayed and watched until the rain washed our names away.
Your mom ended up inviting my family to the beach for the holiday. It didn't really make a difference since everyone on the island went to the beach every year on the fourth, but the thought was nice.
When we got there, there were dark clouds in the sky that threatened rain, but no one really cared. We set up our chairs and umbrellas anyway, as if it was a perfectly sunny day.
"Go and play," your mom said.
Now, we considered ourselves a bit too old for "playing". But I loved the beach, especially making sandcastles and you know that. If you remember, that is.
Your little sister was there. She was about five at the time, I think, and she asked me to build a sandcastle with her. I agreed, since she actually had a bucket and all.
I wanted to ask you to join us but I was too shy and too afraid. So I just didn't say anything. Luckily for me, your sister yelled, "Aden, come here!"
"I don't want to build a sandcastle," you said, and you walked out further into the water, letting it wash over your toes. Then - and I remember this clearly - you leaned over and picked up a seashell. And for some reason, you threw it back into the sand.
I didn't really think anything of this, and I continued building my dream palace with Emily. She wasn't much help, but at least she let me use her bucket. As I remember it, it was one made specifically to build sandcastles with.
The day went on. We stopped occasionally to eat and have our parents check with us. I remember you were in the water, swimming in the shallow areas. And sometimes, you would pick up a seashell. But you always threw them back on the ground.
The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky. I finished my sandcastle with Emily, and I have to admit, it was quite majestic. I still have pictures of it somewhere. Maybe I'll attach one to these letters.
After we were done, I discovered that I had nothing else to do. I just stood there on the beach, unconsciously making lines in the sand with my foot. That was when you came back from the water.
"Look," you said. I was confused for a second, but then I looked down to see that you were doing the same thing as I was. Except your lines actually meant something. When you were done, the lines in the sand spelled out "C-A-S-S-I-D-Y".
"Cassidy," I read aloud.
"Yup," you said. "Now write mine, so we can be even."
"Umm, okay," I said. I then proceeded to write your name in the sand. When I was done, I looked up at you to see that you were frowning.
"You spelled my name wrong."
I looked down at it. A-I-D-A-N. At the time, I didn't know it was wrong. I had never seen your name written down before, and out loud the names sounded exactly the same. I just assumed, since there was a boy in my second grade class with that name.
"Oh, sorry," I mumbled. I quickly tried to erase it so I could fix the letters, but that just made it messy.
"Here," you said. And you fixed your name. A-D-E-N.
You stood back to admire your work, and it then struck me that we had our names together in the sand. It was like I saw in the movies. The typical, cheesy scene of couples' names written together.
I had no idea what to say about it, so I just stood there. I was just about to say something about how we should go back to our families, but then a drop of water hit me in the eye. I let out a small squeal and you said, "What?" Then a drop of water hit your cheek. "Oh. It's raining."
I didn't answer, I just stared at the letters in the sand. You didn't say anything. I remember we just stood there, even as the rain started pouring. We stayed and watched until the rain washed our names away.