Sitting Empty on the Beach

The Lonely Beach Chair

I didn’t notice it at first because I was so excited to be back at the beach. Plus, it was surrounded by other beach-goers who were enjoying the late afternoon sun, decked out with chairs, umbrellas and coolers.

It wasn’t until everyone had left, having taken their beach paraphernalia with them, that I finally saw it. It was sitting by itself, facing out into the waves.

There was a sadness about this chair that struck me, even from a distance. I figured someone must have left it there for a reason.

But after dinner I saw the chair again. The sun had just set, leaving a finger of light sparkling across the water. I couldn’t believe someone hadn’t come for this chair, or at least moved it farther from the wash of the waves.

It sat alone; a plain, simple beach chair. I thought about moving it, but wondered if someone wanted it to stay there for a reason. So, I left it.

The next morning I drank my coffee outside on the deck. The chair was still in the same place, sitting patiently at the water’s edge. I felt some relief because it hadn’t been washed away or run over by the vehicle that had made those circles in the sand.

During the day I watched as people came and went. Some laid on their beach towels right next to the chair. No one ever touched it or put a towel on it, or pulled it over for an extra, unexpected visitor. The fisherman didn’t even make use of this seat; preferring to wade out into the waves to cast his line.

I wondered who had left it and why. Was it destined to be swept away by the waves? It looked sturdy enough and certainly would be a good chair for someone. Still, no one claimed it.

The Chairman of the Beach

Day turned to night again. The sun put on a glorious show, and amidst the glow from the vibrant sky, the lonely beach chair seem lonelier.

By this point, I had become quite attached to this chair. JC kept asking me why I didn’t just take it, but I didn’t feel right about doing that. The chair seemed to be waiting patiently. Maybe its owner would come back.

On our last day at the beach I woke and checked on the chair again. To my surprise, there was a man sitting in it. I looked closer through the lens of my camera. This man looked familiar.

Curious, I walked down to the beach and lo and behold, it was JC, my boyfriend! He was sitting comfortably in the chair drinking his morning coffee.

I tapped him on the shoulder and he turned to me with a big smile on his face. “I couldn’t stand hearing you talk about this lonely chair anymore,” he said. “So, I decided to sit with it for awhile. Now, you can take a picture of the two of us to remember that someone did enjoy this lonely little beach chair.”

What a special man he is. Don’t you agree?

Tagged as: a picture story, beach, beach chair, beach chairs, lonely, the beach