Another Dog was having none of it.
Her choice.
She was happy with her lot.
He'd miss her, but he understood.
Beach Buoy headed to the beach alone.
The lady who once fell off her bike and her companion headed back to the north. They chatted.
A Cyclist with a phone camera took beach photographs as he leant on The Esplanade Wall.
Up above, the Little Terns chattered.
The Esplanade.
Looking North.
The cones are for The Little Tern nest site.
An excited-looking man with a Radio Controlled Car walked the firmer tidal sands.
He squatted , twisted and turned as though he was actually in the car.
The North.
The sky was full of clouds.
The sea was more green than it was blue.
They headed south.
L to R.
Jogger.
7 a.m. Club.
Team One Black Ear.
Beach Buoy collected four and a a half suitable stones.
The half had looked whole, face up in the sand .
It had been spilt along it's length.
The jogger became a walker as he turned back into the headwind.
His hands went onto his hips.
The 7 a.m. club passed by.
" Morning Paul."
"Morning Geoff."
The 7 a.m. club wished for garden rain.
"The ground's like dust."
They went their separate ways.
The confident lady with a confident dog marched diagonally to the sea once more.
She stopped to chat to the 7 a.m. club,
then Beach Buoy.
"Mine stayed in bed today "
he said, pointing to her dog.
"I get that, my legs would hardly work this morning." with that she strode off to the water's edge.
Team One Black Ear came along.
Milo , their version of a borrowed dog was in bother.
"Morning, he's lost his ball."
"Morning, here is a spare one."
Beach Buoy handed over a beach-found tennis ball.
"Oh thank you."
They chatted a while before going their separate ways.
"Morning Mate."
6-57.
Beach Buoy added four and a half stones.
He patted
THE
stone.
He sat on the driftwood plank with plenty of rust.
Alone.
Maybe Beach Buoy should buy a radio control dog?
A Gull drifted overhead.
It sounded as if it were laughing at such a thought.
Beach Buoy stood.
"See you mate."
He headed back to the beach.
The man who once had four dogs but now had three passed by.
"Where's yours?"
"Wouldn't get out of bed."
His black dog looked much better
For the first time ever it came over to Beach Buoy for a shoulder scratch.
It looked Beach Buoy in the eyes.
He knew.
"He's fourteen."
They went their separate ways.
BEACH BUOY.
