The Beach

The air had a clean, distinct smell.As I recall it could be very strong.The taste of salt would be on the tip of my tongue.
In my mind's eye, I can see her,coming outside,wearing the red swimsuit.Her skin is bronzed.Maybe this time she'll wear her flipflops,probably not.
She forgets to shut the porch door,and gets a reminder, as the dog quickly bolts out ahead of her.No words are exchanged.She sits down on the top step,and the dog retreats back on the porch.
Then she gives the door a pull and hops down each step and begins to make her way down the sidewalk.She looks at each house as she passes,mentally making notes of the occupants of each house.
"They like me,those ones are meanies",her eyes glance back and forth to view both sides of the street.She skips along but occasionally slows to give a wave or get a better look.
"Nana hates them and I don't even know why. Thats where the big boy that Rusty knows lives." Some times she is singing parts of the songs from the radio that plays on someones porch.Passing twelve houses,she gets to the curve and now she can hear the cars on the Boulavard.They are going quite fast.This is the part she doesn't like.Pressing the giant button,and hearing their words"You better not get hit by a car crossing the Boulavard!"She knows that sometimes the light just won't change.
She wonders as she watches the cars zip by her, Who is the one who tells on her? "Maggie, someone saw you running across to the beach when the cars werent stopped,isit true?"
The sign blinks walk walk walk. She runs.
(to be continued)