The Cost

The sun shone brightly with a heat markedly focused on the shore below. Bathers gathered near the edge of the dry sand and lathered themselves with lotion thick enough to coat a bear in winter. The ocean waves rolled across the ocean; each climbed higher than the one before it until it curled and broke in a booming splash.

"Don't you ever get tired of pounding the shore?" the sun asked the ocean.

"No, not really. It's what I do to relax and have a bit of fun. Watch me," the ocean replied as it pulled in an enormous amount of water and surged as high as a mountain. Then it pushed itself toward the shore at break-neck speed.

None of the bathers noticed until the giant wave blocked the sun and crashed upon them. Then the ocean pulled back the water exposing a shore filled with old bottles, empty cans and angry bathers.

"You call that fun?" the sun asked.

"I call it 'pay back,'" the ocean replied and rolled back for another splash.

PVA

15 ix 2025