Ruby stood on the oversized beach blanket and breathed in the salt air. The sparkle and curves of the big ocean rolled into the sky and made her skin tingle. She rubbed her arm. Ruby, all perky, her bouncy ponytail tangled in the wind wore her favorite yellow and pink-stripped bathing suit. She counted every blue and white-striped beach umbrella plugged randomly across the sand. A squawking seagull distracted her counting mission.
This was her last Sunday at Coney Island fun in the sun before beginning fourth grade. A wave of sweet relish and cherry ices brushed past her, she sniffed. A big hairy bowl legged man ate a hot dog and a red curly topped girl merrily ate away as they strolled by the rustling shore.
“This is so great, mommy and daddy. I don’t have to do any homework.” Ruby plunged her hand into the ice cooler and pulled out a coke. he gulped down a big slurp as the bottle dripped its dew along the slippery edges, devoured the liquid like it was her last drink ever on earth. She stepped off the blanket and buried her toes into the moist underbelly of the sand, listened to the soft splash of the ocean waves.
Her mommy and daddy laughed over an oily tuna sandwich and chocolate donuts. Her grandma greased up with baby oil prepared for her wade in the ocean. Her sister, Leah twirled in the sand. This was the part of her existence that showed her that life had goodness. Forget the night before when her mother hit with a hanger because she didn’t make her bed. The sun and salt air washed away all that was bad and made it good.
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