being 15

You might remember that my 15 year old granddaughter talked me into going to the beach for the day while she was here. It's only an hour's drive and the day was going to be fairly mild, meaning low 90s, so we threw some towels, water, and watermelon in the truck and headed out.

The wind was a little high and constant but it kept us from feeling too hot. It was high tide so no looking for shells or shark's teeth either. This time of the year is also when the sargasso seaweed floats in and covers the beach so we cleared a spot and spread out an old sheet, pining it down with our straw bag and shoes.

My granddaughter, in her cute little bikini, put on some sunscreen and then went for a swim while I loitered at the surf line. I hadn't planned on going in the water and was just wearing nylon shorts and a t-shirt so I went back and sat down again.

There were 3 or 4 other groups spread out along the beach and the one nearest us was a fairly large group of all ages including two teenage boys. It didn't take the two boys long to 'drift' down in front of us and start showing off on their skimboards.

Slightly annoyed, Autumn, who had been sitting at the water's edge digging in the sand, returned to the sheet and sat down next to me.

'That's for you', I said nodding in the direction of the boys.

We enjoyed the sun, the wind, the sand, the sight of the ocean, the smell of the salt water, the stink of the seaweed. Ok, maybe not that last one. Eventually she got me in the water anyway and as we were drying out on our sheet, one of the boys skimmed back in front of us for another try at attracting her attention.

He must have finally made eye contact with her because he gave her a subtle little wave down by his hip. And then he looked over at me to see if I noticed I guess. So I gave him a subtle little wave back. Yes, I noticed.

'Granny, he wasn't waving at you', she tells me.

I know sweetie. Believe me, I know. It's been a long time since a teenage boy waved at me. I was just acknowledging his presence, acknowledging youth, the first tentative tries at attracting the opposite sex. Sort of a thumb's up.

It was all very cute and amused me but you could not pay me enough to be 15 again.