The Seagull's Lament

Walt Miller lay on the beach with his eyes closed and his head flat on the sand. He was the only person on the beach wearing a navy blue sport coat, gray-flannel pants, shiny black shoes, and a gold watch. He was wondering about selling the gold watch.

His tie now lay on the courtyard directly in front of Chase Bank. He had ripped the tie from his neck the moment he emerged back into the sunshine through the smoked glass doors.

He pictured the tie on the hot cement with people going out of their way to walk around it.

Walt felt a presence and opened his eyes. A gray-muzzled yellow Labrador was sniffing his ankles. "Go ahead," thought Walt. "Go right ahead!"

Just then a heavily disgruntled woman in a too small bikini trudged up the sand clapping her hands loudly enough for the dog tp respond instantly. The dog ran to the woman before he had actually finished or began his intended business with Walt’s argyle socks.

Walt watched her grab the old Lab by its collar and stagger off through the sand back toward her beach umbrella and a sun-burnt four year old boy building a sandcastle on the water’s edge.

It was two O’clock in the afternoon, prime time for the summer crowd. The waves were small, but the sun was hot and there was not a cloud to be seen.

A seagull landed maybe four feet from Walt’s head and began squawking loudly enough for Walt initially to become alarmed, though it was clear rather quickly, the bird had no interest in him.

He leaned upon his elbows and watched the gull calling toward the ocean. It was not a bad looking seagull, not one of those with a fishing line hanging out their beaks, or missing a leg. This was a fluffy white seagull with a red spot on its upper beak.

Walt studied the agitated, witless seagull yodeling into the bright blue, summer sky.

Suddenly the bird took flight and Walt watched it sweep over the beach toward the ocean. He wondered what Karen was going to say when she learns tonight they don't own their home any more. He kept his eyes on the seagull as it joined another seagull, and watched the two white birds flying together low over the waves in tandem grace. When they were out of sight, he let his head fall back onto the sand and closed his eyes.

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