What difference does it make

What difference does it make?

Marty got up slowly at first, then as ten year old's do he slowly gathered momentum and pretty soon was a blur of disorganised clothes that somehow managed to defy gravity and stay on.

"Marty can you get your skates on PLEASE" called his mother, "and wash BEHIND the ears as well"

"Aw mum realy...."

" Never mind awwh mum "

So reluctantly Marty tried his best to find his ears and tackle behind them with a wash cloth.

During breakfast Marty's mother asked him what he intended to do today as if she didn't already know.

"Oh I'll just stroll over to the beach I guess"

Marty's father rustled his paper as he muttered " What on earth does that boy do down at that beach every dadgum day"

"Now John Marty's a good boy realy, there are many worse places he could go then down that beach"

" I suppose you're right Nancy, but I just wish he'd tell us what he does down there on the beach" John turned to ask Marty, but the ten year old blur was up from the table and off out of the door in a shot.

" Marty did we say you could leave....?"

Nancy put her arms round John's neck and kissed him saying " Never mind John He'll come back soon enough you see"
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Marty ran down to the beach, it was a beautiful warm day and the sand felt good as he went through it. The tide was receeding far into the distant, Marty smiled as he went to a little clump of life still stranded on the exposed sun kissed beach.

He crouched down and picked up a slimy mass of sea creature left by the tide as it gave up it's hold on the beach.

As Marty took hold of the starfish he knew what he ought to do and placed it gently in his small bucket, then he added another and yet another till his bucket was quite full. Then Marty set off to find the sea as he strode on to the edge of the beach.

When he got there he emptied his little bucket into the life giving water. then Marty ran back to where he'd found the stranded star fish and took pity on some more of their companions scattered abroad across the beach.

The tall dark haired man looked across at Marty as he went about his task busily on the beach, as he watched a bemused smile crept slowly over his face.

He headed down towards where Marty was lost in his activity, as he reached the little lad the man knelt down " Excuse me, I erm... don't mean to interupt but I've been watching you, do you mind if I ask what it is you are doing?"

"Well Mister, I'm just giving these starfish a little helping hand see" Marty shuffled on his feet " After all can't see them die stranded can you?"

The Man rocked with laughter as he looked up and saw clumps of starfish glistening all across the beach. " But there's so many, what on earth can you,one tiny lad, do that will make any difference?"

At this Marty smiled and taking a small little starfish in his podgy little hand, held it aloft in front of the strangers face saying " Well I don't know, maybe you should ask him eh?"