{"id":17394,"date":"2020-07-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-01T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sasee.wpenginepowered.com\/?post_type=essay&p=17394"},"modified":"2024-03-26T15:08:40","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T19:08:40","slug":"jaybirds-at-the-beach","status":"publish","type":"essay","link":"https:\/\/sasee.com\/ro\/essay\/jaybirds-at-the-beach\/","title":{"rendered":"Jaybirds at the Beach"},"content":{"rendered":"

So, as soon as the weather breaks, and there is even a hint of summer, I\u2019m digging out the beach umbrella, gathering up a blanket, packing a lunch into a cooler and I\u2019m heading out for a day at the beach.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n

From childhood days of splashing at the water\u2019s edge and building sand castles along a sandy shore to challenging roaring breakers of surf as I grew to be an adult, I have always been fascinated by the ocean. I love the beach. To me, it\u2019s so much more than just a place to cool off on a hot day.<\/p>\n

The sight and sound of the waves as they lap up calms and soothes me. The gulls that soar overhead, floating on gusts of wind that suspend them above, fascinate me. The sparkle on the water, the sun on my face, even the scent of tanning lotion always makes me smile. So, as soon as the weather breaks, and there is even a hint of summer, I\u2019m digging out the beach umbrella, gathering up a blanket, packing a lunch into a cooler and I\u2019m heading out for a day at the beach.<\/p>\n

Some years ago, after fighting weekend traffic, driving around an overcrowded parking lot for what seemed like hours, and finally finding a parking place, my wife and I schlepped all of our gear out to a perfect spot close to the water. As I slipped off my shoes, slapped some coconut smelling lotion on my un-tanned body and prepared to lay back and enjoy a day in the sun, we overheard a conversation from the couple camped next to us.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean there\u2019s a nude beach? Where?\u201d The guy next to us asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWay down there.\u201d His wife pointed over her shoulder with her thumb.<\/p>\n

Her husband squinted as he stared out into the distance. \u201cI don\u2019t see anything.\u201d He shrugged.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s way down there,\u201d his wife whispered.<\/p>\n

I have to admit, I was curious. \u201cDid you hear that?\u201d I asked my wife.<\/p>\n

\u201cI heard it,\u201d she said, as she began to flip through the pages of a magazine she brought with her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think it\u2019s true?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably,\u201d she answered without looking up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow about that. A nude beach. Right here. Hmmm. You know, I\u2019m thinking maybe…\u201d<\/p>\n

She turned to me, peered over her sunglasses and said, \u201cYou want to go take a look.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought maybe we could just take a walk…down the beach….you know…maybe just…\u201d<\/p>\n

The liberated, open-minded woman my wife is, she smiled and shook her head. \u201cC\u2019mon Peeping Tom. Let\u2019s go see.\u201d<\/p>\n

As we walked down the beach, undressed figures started to appear in the distance. The closer we got, the more we saw \u2013people that is. There were couples and families. Naked little kids giggled as they splashed in the breakers. Bronze bodies mixed with milky white forms. People of every size, shape, and color sunbathed, picnicked, swam, played volleyball. There was an air of freedom. Everyone seemed so open. As we continued our walk, I actually began to feel a little bit self conscious wearing a bathing suit. I turned to my wife. \u201cWhy don\u2019t we..?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no. I know what you\u2019re thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should try it. It\u2019s really no big deal. No one seems to even be paying attention. They\u2019re all having so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou think we should try it. And what happens if we see somebody that we know?\u201d my wife asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure we\u2019re not going to see anyone that we know.\u201d I reassured her.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou really don\u2019t think we\u2019ll see anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just walked past more than a hundred people. There wasn\u2019t a familiar face in the bunch. What are the odds that we\u2019re going to see someone that we know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you sure?\u201d she asked shyly.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure.\u201d I smiled confidently, took a deep breath and, off came my trunks. Only partially convinced, my wife grudgingly agreed to slip off her top. We joined hands and took our first Adam and Eve step. That\u2019s when we heard it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, Jeff.\u201d<\/p>\n

My head snapped around, I looked down and, there was my next door neighbor sitting in the sand! So, there we were, naked as Jaybirds. The three of us seeing each other in a new light, so to speak. My wife quickly slipped on her sunglasses in some vain attempt to conceal her true identity, like Clark Kent slapping on his shades and expecting no one to notice the big red S on his chest. After responding with a weak wave, we made an about face.<\/p>\n

As we headed back to the safety of our blanket, my wife, still blushing,  rolled her eyes and muttered, \u201cWhat are the odds?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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