Town Beach - A Weekend Back Home

Opening my eye’s slightly I could just make-out the silhouette of a man standing over me. Paying little attention I shifted my body some more and dig deeper into the warm moulded beach sand below. Two empty pizza boxes providing all necessary protection, splayd over my filthy stained jean. The shadow. It was Parasite, I presume - moving around doing something. Maybe he's still fishing with Dan. To tired to care, I didn’t take much notice and drifted off again into a heavy exhausted daze. Sleep wasn’t coming on exactly, just a heaviness from the tips of my toes right up to the lashes below my brow.

The water lapped gently against the sandy shore, the open air was still, warm, snug and it was about midnight when I had decided to turn in. That is, right after a big feed of the aforementioned pizza which seemingly filled that large, self induced bottomless pit which formed somewhere deep within my little left toe.

‘What a great day’ I decide as my body got heavier and I breathed out, sinking deeper and deeper until at one stage I figured I was under ground but wouldn’t move, wouldn’t panic.. Just drift, drift deeper, drift further, drift off somewhere into the abyss and I would smile contentedly.

They say too much of a good thing is a bad thing but whoever said that obviously never slept on a beach with a tummy full of delicious golden oat soda and a head lightened by a little friendly smoke. Just lying around - take it all in, the smell of the sea, just still and lazy. No point in moving, theres nothing more than the 'here’s and now’s'. Nothing else to discover other than maybe the pleasant wisp of the salty sea goodness and the feel of the sand between my toes and I slept a deep sleep.

Sometime in the early morning, when it was still a little dark, I awoke slightly cool. The beach was deserted other than a small tent pitched a few yards away. Parasite was sound asleep inside, tucked in his sleeping bag. I think he was sucking on his thumb but I couldn’t tell. Gathering up the two full pizza boxes which I had been using as a pillow I made my way up the beach to the resort in hope of finding some water. I tried opening the rear door which overlooked the beach. No luck. So I snuck around looking for a tap, my mouth was dryer than a bitumen road on a stinking hot day and I made an audible ‘nic’ sound as I drew my tongue from the top of my mouth.

‘Click’, the door sounded, I looked up and Dan smiled. He had just gone to bed, he told me.

“You can sleep on the couch” he mumbled dazedly so I walked in and lay on the stiff suede lounge. He stumbled a little then headed up to the next room where his newly-wed wife was waiting in the room? Maybe she was already asleep, I decided. The lousy couch was uncomfortable so I got up and found some water. Gulping a few times from the container I then brought it to where I was resting. I woke up intermittently, trying to get comfortable but at first light I got up frustrated and went outside.

The sun was warming up the sky. Shades of blue drifted lazily around me and I watched some early morning swimmers paddle through the cool silent ocean. Finding a more comfortable day lounge, I stretched out and drunk some more water while observing the scene. One of those magic mornings where you ponder the definition of heaven, and think, no, decide, that this would probably be it…

Feeling drawn towards the beach I started thinking maybe I could live in that warm sand and just eat fresh fish with a small portion of rice. It was always the dream and I was happy. Town Beach is the name of this particular strip. Dad used to bring me down here when I was young, but these days things had really changed.

It’s another billion dollar project which has reclaimed land, high rise apartments and pompous café’s dwell there now. It's where the latte arrives with a complementary cookie and the man reads his paper bitterly as the coffee cools down.

His wife looks over from across the table and notices she has missed a spot on his shirt and wonders if she should iron it again. Instead she decides not to disrupt him and alternatively pours some water from the bottle into a dish and lays it out for the complacent poodle by his legs. Sitting back she gazes off silently into the marina and admires the morning sun shining through the beautiful boats which are stowed within their locks.

The 'here’s and now’s'. I’m laying here on this day lounge right in the middle of all this. The residences nearby had written to the local paper when this development was first approved by the local council. 'A town beach with no facilities' they exclaimed, other than those provided at the hotel which bounds up casting shadows across the crisp white beach. Facilities we must mention are 'exclusive to those staying at the hotel' it went on to say and the old lady with her dogs now feels forlorn with the whole situation and the council planners busy themselves at some award ceremony.

Watching on I catch Parasite walking up the beach towards his car, tent in hand and Dan’s inside getting a drink. I look around at the ocean with it’s gentle morning haze thinking how lucky I am being here right now and how tomorrow this time I’ll be on my way back to Darwin… Darwin… It’s only been two day’s and I’m missing that crew already. Good people with all sorts of stories and I’m loving life. So is Dan and Parasite and we’re saying goodbye once again. I decide too hell with all this - I’m happy to be leaving.

Thanks Dan for a great day and especially thanks for asking me to be your groomsman. Best of luck to you and the missus!




(Sorry guys I drifted off track with the Carnarvon stuff, it’s a couple of years out of date but I wanted to get some stuff down, and I have heaps more too go. Anyway this is the latest going ons, hope you enjoyed it)