Ha Ha-Ta Ta

THE WAVE

 

As soon as the sun rises, the sand sweeping machines chug across the huge littered white beach. Each worker has his own marked territory, reverses back and forth until 9 a.m. when the first sun lovers, ocean swimmers, come out of their holes. There is a camaraderie of sorts between the drivers during a coffee break when day after day they share complaints about the slobs who don't give a damn about the beach.

 

June 30th a new sweeper begins her job. Lila Hurley is the first woman hired to cover sections three and four, or any sections at all. Her long blond hair is wrapped in a bright sunny yellow bandana. As she climbs aboard, she waves to the guy behind her who will be going in the opposite direction. She can't see him wave back.

 

For her first hour at the new job she is aware of the sounds, tinkling, crushing, pop cans, shells, stones. They are musical notes to her so she imagines a scale and sings her do, ti, la, sols over and over, sets a rhythm banging on her heavy steering wheel. A deep loud horn reaches her from behind just as she catches sight of a toddler running towards her. She is startled, frightened so badly, she's a little slow jamming on the brakes. The child's mother grabs her errant child and shakes her fist at Lila, surely spitting out mean, ugly words and heads toward the Boardwalk. The little boy is dragged away, laughing, waving to Lila until she is calm enough to wave to him and continue on her way.

 

By 8 a.m. the beach is in pretty good shape. Lila isn't. Her body shakes with the sensation of the loud motor, the vibrating itch in her hands from the steering wheel that has already caused a blister about to burst on her right hand. A few swimmers have ventured into the ocean. Their delight invites her to enjoy the same thing as soon as her work is thru at 9.  Before that happens, the worker who had been behind her honks loudly from his padded seat, cleans his sunglasses and jumps down to offer her a cold Coke. 'I'm Josh, begosh,' he says. ' How's it goin' so far?' There is a dab of idle chit chat while she swigs down the delightful cold drink and puts the empty can in her pocket. That fast she knows Josh is carefully, shamelessly, giving her the once over and reciprocates his gaze. Not bad, not bad at all. He suggests she follow him back to the huge empty building where the machinery is cleaned, serviced daily. They get in line and snake slowly to their destination. Josh is already out of his cab when Lila pulls in beside him. 'How about coffee and a fresh chocolate covered donut with me?' We have a snack bar waiting in the annex. Off they go, jabbering about the 'almost' tragedy with the little boy and the need to always be alert.

 

Lila is sure she has a new sunburn and maybe a new guy in her life. Her legs ache from the pressure on the brake. She welcomes the cushioned chairs around the long table. 'What would you like?' Josh asks. Lila makes what she thinks is a cute retort. 'I'd like to wear a pretty dress and have dinner with you sometime soon.' Her snack mate is dumbstruck, pauses, sips his coffee slowly and replies. 'Lila, my wife wouldn't like that. I might but will have to forgo the pleasure.'

 

They are uncomfortable together, finish their coffee, donuts and head back to their vehicles, start out again, back to back, turn to each other and wave. Out of Lisa's sight, Josh asks the foreman to change his position in the morning. 

 

The same little boy who Lila almost ran over is on the beach in the morning. He waves to her, asks for a ride, which Lisa is not allowed to give.  He pouts, runs to his mother and waves one more time at Lisa.

 

Josh is not behind her. A new, elderly, strong looking man with a small gray goatee replaces Josh. Lisa waves and starts her motor going.