Saturday.
It would have been Geoff Walker's first day of retirement.
His Birthday.
Geoff was a great man.
He was as funny as he was loved, so that means hilariously funny.
Imagine Eric Morecambe, Oliver Hardy and Bobby Ball all merged in to one.
That was Geoff, in Beach Buoy's humble opinion.
He was brilliant craftsman.
A gifted teacher.
A cricket coach and umpire.
A bowls player
In music, a sound engineer.
He knew all anyone needed to know about nature due to his fishing and shooting experience.
He cared for people and nature.
He always spoke up for what was right.
There was so much more.
Beach Buoy has just scratched the surface.
Beach Buoy has a way of looking at death.
We are all on an unstoppable ship.
People pass.
It's like
"Man overboard!"
The ship can't stop.
It carries on.
Beach Buoy is still checking the rope that is trailing from the ship into the sea.
Half expecting and fully hoping that Geoff is there holding on, shouting ...
"Pull me up you stupid boy."
(In the style of Captain Mainwaring off Dads Army, talking to Private Pike.)
X
...........
Beach Buoy and Another Dog walked to the beach.
It was so very mild.
It felt like a morning in May, not the last day of November.
They headed north for a short while along The Esplanade.
It was 9-04 a.m.
There was a welcome breeze from the west.
You don't have many of them in November.
Beach Buoy unzipped his coat and took off his snood.
The tide was way out.
The Seaton Carew Wreck was on show.
The night before, Beach Buoy had done some rough sketches.
Beach Buoy had once tried to figure out how old Stubborn Dog would be once Beach Buoy's working days were done.
He would have been around twelve years old.
He passed aged nine.
So Beach Buoy was planning some cards of how they would have got out and about as Stubborn Dog became less energetic or able.
Dog Pushchair, Bike Trailer or just carried.
There was a lady carrying an old dog, while it's three younger companions round around full of life.
😔
The beach was vast.
Everyone had their own space.
Beach Buoy and Another headed south.
A man headed northwards with large headphones on.
The curve of his arms matched that of the headphones.
A Seaton Snooks Tea Room Card will follow in time.
The lady with a white dog and a black dog had chosen to walk the beach not dunes today.
A couple with a German Shepherd were nearby, heading south also.
As Beach Buoy gathered six stack stones rather than five, the couple had claimed the big slope.
Beach Buoy took the low road.
He clambered up to the stack.
Moments later the couple arrived.
They were a lovely couple who passed the stack often.
They had seen the painted stones.
Beach Buoy explained the full stack history.
They were glad to hear who Stubborn Dog was, what he looked like.
They carried on southwards up along the dune heights.
Beach Buoy added six stones to Stubborn Dog Stack.
"Happy Birthday Geoff.
Six stones because Cricket Umpires have six stones in their pockets.
Swapping one to another pocket every time a ball is bowled.
An empty pocket means the end of an over
Morning Mate."
He patted the stone.
He sat.
It felt like Spring.
People passed on the beach below.
Beach Buoy thought about Geoff..
He watched the sea and felt the warmth of the November Sun.
A confused fly landed on Beach Buoy's hand.
"Eventually, "See you mate."
Down The Big Slope.
Then he heard Geoff's sound.
Geese.
Six Geese.
They flew in from the sea.
They turned south along the dune edge.
They flew over Stubborn Dog Stack.
Six Geese.
Wild Geese.
by
Mary Oliver
was read out at Geoff's funeral.
The German Shepherd couple overtook a smiling Beach Buoy
Six.
A horse rider travelled the water's edge .
Later......
"Six eh..."
BEACH BUOY.
