It had been hot.
Records had been broken.
It was still hot.
Too hot.
The back rooms of the house were at 32 degrees, the bedrooms warmer.
Beach Buoy couldn't sleep.
Another Dog had started to pant.
Every room felt warmer than the last.
An open door just seemed to let more warm air flow in.
Van time!
They parked up near the village green, it was 1-32 a.m.
Beach Buoy lowered the van's front windows.
A gentle breeze blew from the west, travelling through the van.
The tired little dog stopped panting.
She slept.
The sound of distant mechanical cutting and metallic hammering drifted from the west, carried by the breeze.
Beach Buoy presumed it was railway track work being carried out up near Seaton Carew Station?
Beach Buoy had hardly slept last night, another sleep starved night ahead.
He was glad that his little mate was more comfortable and sleeping.
It was 1-51 a.m. Beach Buoy heard voices.
A man and woman chatted as they headed south on the promenade.
They turned in the distance and began to walk the pavement that would led to the van.
A large van was travelling north. The vehicle pulled up abruptly alongside the walking couple as though it was an afterthought.
They chatted.
After a while, the van pulled off before continuing north.
The couple also continued north.
The man paused at each parking meter that they passed in search of returned but unclaimed coins.
It was 2 a.m.
From time to time vehicles would pass
Beach Buoy thought it was odd how many that travelled around at this time of the morning had lights not working.
A headlight here a tail light there, brake lights too.
A police car passed.
A car drove by
It applied squeaking brakes as it stopped just ahead of the van.
A man stepped out from the passenger side before lighting a cigarette.
The lady driver joined him. They both walked towards the promenade railings.
They rested upon it, looking out onto to a darkened sea.
2-25a.m.
The couple returned to the squeaky brakes car.
A large red royal mail van trundled north through the village.
At 2-30 a.m. precisely, the sound of a plastic cup being blown southwards into the village.
Like some laterday gunslinger it headed into the village.
It wasn't alone for long.
A crisp packet, a fast food box ( going slowly)
an aluminium can provided the percussion.
Another Dog woke with the noise.
A police car headed south.
A police car headed north.
The 2-30 breeze was from the north, it had a welcome chill.
Beach Buoy tilted the driver's seat back over slightly.
He pulled the two armrests up and nodded off as cooler air swirled gently into the van.
He woke at 3-27.
It was noticeably cooler.
In a while the darkness out at sea, separated in the sea and the sky.
At 4-40 am. he headed to the usual beach car park.
They descended the beach access ramp at
4-49 a.m.
The breeze from the north was glorious.
After yesterday's heat, it was good to see clouds.
They headed south.
Sunrise was at 4-55.
An orange sun rose.
Plenty of dramatic looking clouds.
Cloud was were very welcome.
Beach Buoy and Another Dog headed up to Stubborn Dog Stack.
"Morning Mate."
He added some beach-collected stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
It had been a long night.
"See you mate."
They headed back.
As they left the beach, the 7 am club were just starting their walk.
They chatted before going their separate ways.
BEACH BUOY.
