Walking canes are of no use on the beach. The sight of saggy, deflated balloons and wilted Vienna sausages will wobble you enough to make your legs weak. I saw what I was, what we were: old. Stretched skin over fragile bones. Half-smiles and smirks to cover up the sadness. Lives that would soon be washed away and forgotten.
My husband Stu insisted that we visit the nude beach for senior citizens. He wanted to remind me of what we had become. Something I had been denying for years. I clung to what little sparks of youth ignited on my best days. Stu had no spark; he was ready to pass.
“Greta dear, you want to live. You want to keep living like we used to. I’ll take you somewhere dear, where people like us go to live young. I’ll show you the reality.”
Stu’s negative attitude drew silence from me, but I was still curious. Visiting a nude beach wasn’t exactly on my bucket list, but maybe it was on my bedpan list. At the very least, I would make it out of the house, into the world for another jaunt.
Twelve withered souls paced like snails along the shore. It was quiet out, the sounds of the waves louder than the chatter. We dropped our clothes on the rocks and walked onto the sand. Anxious and embarrassed, I held Stu’s hand as we crept closer to the crowd.
“What are we doing, Stu? I thought we were just going to throw our towels down and relax.”
“They are waiting for us, dear. They’ve all been waiting patiently for us.”
“Hello, my friends. Sorry for the tardiness. You know how it is,” Stu said, as the crowd approached us. “This is my wife, Greta.”
“Welcome Greta,” the crowd spoke together.
“Is the Doctor arriving soon?” Stu asked.
“I think that’s him right over there,” a man responded. “Perfect timing.”
I turned around to face the entrance of the beach. A well-dressed middle-aged man came forth.
“Great, looks like we have everyone here. Now, let’s hold hands together one last time,” the Doctor said.
Confused and slowly becoming alarmed, I gripped onto Stu’s left hand as another stranger wrapped his right hand around my left. A circle formed.
“Look at you. You’ve done it. You have lived a full life, but age doesn’t pause for any of us. There is no more for you to do in this world. And that is why I am here today. I will deliver you. I bring people into this world. But today, I will bring you out.”
The Doctor’s words sent a chill down my spine, as I temporarily lost my balance. Stu lifted me back up.
“I want to go home,” I whispered to Stu.
“Look dear, it’s here. Our vessel.”
A large boat approached the edge of the water.
“Come, come, it’s time to load you in.” The Doctor led the group towards the boat.
I stood in place, refusing to move an inch even as Stu pulled at me.
“Greta, look at us. We are worthless. Let’s end the pain. Give back to the world. Let the sea find a use for us.”
“I don’t wany anything to do with whatever this is. Let go of me,” I screamed. “Help! Someone, please help me!”
Stu released his grip. “Then you shall die alone. Goodbye, my dear.”
I wiped away tears, as I watched Stu and the group follow the Doctor onto the boat. Once aboard, the Doctor slit each person’s throat, and with the help of the boat crew, loaded the bodies into a giant fishing net.
As the boat rode off, the net was hurled into the water. I could not believe what I was witnessing. I fell to the ground and buried my face in the sand. The grains of sand were rough against my skin, but the feeling was there. Rough as it may have been, I felt something. I felt alive. I am alive. I still have a life to live.