Open Writing

John watched the rising sun erase the shadows from the shoreline, highlighting the newly washed sand left by the morning tide.

He stood firm footed on the rock formation at the south-end of the beach, which he considered his special place.

Raising his saxophone to his lips, he began to play his memorised melodies, unable however to hide the melancholy undertones.

The white caps forming on the water were the first indication the wind was turning blustery. He descended to a more sheltered position. His attention was drawn to an open umbrella hurtling towards him, losing momentum as it entered his secluded area. John collected the umbrella and secured it between two rocks.

Shouts of “Thank you, Thank you” coming from an agile young woman striding across the firm damp sand.

“I thought I’d seen the last of that.” She said, reclaiming the umbrella. . “I wondered where the music was coming from.”

“Just fooling around” John said, unclipping the saxophone strap.

“Few chart toppers there. Fool around here often do you? I hope you ‘re not leaving on my account. You are aren’t you? I’ve put you off playing.”

“Not at all” John said, just doing the things I’ve never had the time to do before.”

“You don’t have a job?”

“I don’t have thirty three, that’s how many I’ve applied for. Still you know what they say, when one door shuts another one clashes.”

“I’ll bet you’re wife’s happy to have you home. Chance to catch up on all those little jobs around the house.”

“Oh! I haven’t cleared that hurdle yet.”

“You haven’t told your wife?”

“Thought I’d have a job before now.”

“If I was your wife I’d want to know. It will give you the chance to work something out together.”

“It’s not as cut and dried as that, I feel I need a new direction in my life and I’m not sure if my wife would welcome the change.”

“And you never will if you don’t confide in her. Talk it through, I would want you to if it was me. What have you got to lose?''

“Nothing I suppose,” John said, without the feeling of any doubt whatsoever. “Bye, enjoy your walk” he added.

As John made his way to the top of the south track he turned, glancing down across the beach caught no sight of the woman.

* * *

“I’ve been made redundant Jessie!”

“I know, Skip's wife told me.”

“You’ve known all this time? Is there nothing sacred around here? Why didn’t you say something?”

“I was waiting for you to tell me. Any other secrets tucked away?”

“I was hoping to have another job lined up before I told you that’s all. Anyway it’s a different ballgame now. I’m not going back into an office Jessie. I’d rather go busking. I mean it!”

“I’m sure you do” Jessie said laughing.

“I’m serious Jessie!”

“I believe you, in fact I can see you now” Jessie said trying not to laugh, “dressed in your blue coat, white hat, black shorts and the scarf that makes you look like Doctor Who.”

“That’s right scoff.” Hurt, he added ”Is it any wonder I don’t tell you everything. I’ve got loads of new stuff I’ve never played yet. I want to develop it.”

“If that’s what you want to do John, do it.”

“Will you come with me?”

“Me! What do you want me there for?”

“You could look like you’re forming a crowd.”

“No, you don’t need me. You need some young thing standing there wriggling her hips.”

“Does that mean you’re not coming?”

“It means I’ve got other things to do.”

“Like looking at photographs I suppose?”

“I’ve bee putting them in an album,” Jessie said, then added “This is the last of them.”

John picked up a photograph from the floor.

“This is the young woman I spoke to on the beach this morning.” He said before handing it to Jessie.

“Where on earth did you find this? I’ve hunted high and low for this for days. This is Anna. The sister I told you about,remember? She died due to an accident surf boarding. It happened about three years before I met you… Strange. I still talk to her even now. I like to think of her as my Guardian Angel.”

“Well she’s a dead ringer for woman I was talking to on the beach.”

“Oh there would be no mistaking Anna.” Jessie said, “Apart from her always being full of chat, you never ever saw her without her umbrella..''