One Minute They Are There... The Next, They Are Gone!
One Minute We Are There... The Next, We Are Gone!
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee
Walking on the sand, happy as a lark... I was doing something I loved to do. Treasure-hunting for beautiful seashells, hoping to find something unusual.
Men, women, children stood along the shore, fishing. I'd never seen that before. I was fascinated. The water must be deep... I knew I wasn't going to find out.
Too many people fishing in the ocean... no one else was in the water. Not only that... I'd had my shark encounter in the ocean some years before. I'm not going in any deeper than my ankles. 'I mean that thing'!
I'll never forget being thigh-deep in the ocean at Miami Beach... oh, the water felt so nice, warm. I had pulled my skirt up so, it wouldn't get wet... finally, I just didn't care if it did get wet!
I was standing there, jumping the little waves that passed me by. I felt a hard bump on my thigh... I couldn't imagine what it was. I wasn't afraid... until I saw.... I saw a shark swim by! It was maybe 4-5 feet long... not big.... but, it was big enough for me!
I screamed, felt such fear in my heart.... the next thing I know... I was flying through that water to get to the shore! I knew that shark was going to get my ass! I just knew it was!
Thank-God, I made it to shore. I stood there, and began shaking all over. I looked up to the sky, vowed I'd never go into the ocean again. I mean I promised with my very heart... I wouldn't go back in... ever! I've kept that promise all these years!
Anyway... I was walking in the sand, feeling the damp, coolness between my toes. I moved on where the sand felt dry... silky. I love to walk on sand like that.
I began noticing something I'd never seen personally, on the sand. Beautiful sea shells like I'd never found before. There were lots of them... I could get all I wanted of them. I felt such excitement... like going on an Easter egg hunt!
Each shell was unique... they were swirly, like ice cream. You know the ones you get at Dairy Queen.... the soft-serve ice cream swirled into a cone. I'd never found such shells in my life!
I had on a huge tee shirt.... I gathered it up and made a 'basket'. I began running here, there to fill it with the wonderful sea shells. It was going to be fun to take them home, show them to everyone! Who finds such sea shells like these? I'd only seen them in the shops near the ocean.
I filled my tee shirt full of those sea shells... I was smiling, happy with my treasures. Everyone who saw me gathering those sea shells shared my happiness.... why, they were smiling back at me! Some people were laughing... later, I knew why.
I happened to look down... took a second look. I went into shock! I couldn't believe what was happening to my sea shells! Each one was 'sprouting'.... legs!!! I almost had a heart attack!
I began screaming, my 'basket' of beautiful sea shells went flying through the air.... I began having a 'fit'. I was jumping up and down, feeling cold chills over my body... I forgot there were people around.
When I began to calm down... I sheepishly looked around. Everyone was bending over, laughing their asses off at me. I began to smile, laugh with them.
In my mind, I could see those legs had pinchers on them! I still don't know the name of the beautiful sea shells I found. I just know they have legs!
Oh, I made another vow at the ocean... I wouldn't be picking up beautiful sea shells like that, again!
That was two times, something 'too exciting' happened to me at the ocean. I don't trust a third time! I remember watching a documentary about sharks... guess what? Sharks can come up in the waves to the shore, and go back....
I could be walking in ankle-deep water, a shark could come sliding up, grab me by my ankle... take me on into the ocean with him. Did you know they could do that?
Sharks... can make us just disappear from standing on the shoreline. One minute we are there... the next, we are gone!
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee
Walking on the sand, happy as a lark... I was doing something I loved to do. Treasure-hunting for beautiful seashells, hoping to find something unusual.
Men, women, children stood along the shore, fishing. I'd never seen that before. I was fascinated. The water must be deep... I knew I wasn't going to find out.
Too many people fishing in the ocean... no one else was in the water. Not only that... I'd had my shark encounter in the ocean some years before. I'm not going in any deeper than my ankles. 'I mean that thing'!
I'll never forget being thigh-deep in the ocean at Miami Beach... oh, the water felt so nice, warm. I had pulled my skirt up so, it wouldn't get wet... finally, I just didn't care if it did get wet!
I was standing there, jumping the little waves that passed me by. I felt a hard bump on my thigh... I couldn't imagine what it was. I wasn't afraid... until I saw.... I saw a shark swim by! It was maybe 4-5 feet long... not big.... but, it was big enough for me!
I screamed, felt such fear in my heart.... the next thing I know... I was flying through that water to get to the shore! I knew that shark was going to get my ass! I just knew it was!
Thank-God, I made it to shore. I stood there, and began shaking all over. I looked up to the sky, vowed I'd never go into the ocean again. I mean I promised with my very heart... I wouldn't go back in... ever! I've kept that promise all these years!
Anyway... I was walking in the sand, feeling the damp, coolness between my toes. I moved on where the sand felt dry... silky. I love to walk on sand like that.
I began noticing something I'd never seen personally, on the sand. Beautiful sea shells like I'd never found before. There were lots of them... I could get all I wanted of them. I felt such excitement... like going on an Easter egg hunt!
Each shell was unique... they were swirly, like ice cream. You know the ones you get at Dairy Queen.... the soft-serve ice cream swirled into a cone. I'd never found such shells in my life!
I had on a huge tee shirt.... I gathered it up and made a 'basket'. I began running here, there to fill it with the wonderful sea shells. It was going to be fun to take them home, show them to everyone! Who finds such sea shells like these? I'd only seen them in the shops near the ocean.
I filled my tee shirt full of those sea shells... I was smiling, happy with my treasures. Everyone who saw me gathering those sea shells shared my happiness.... why, they were smiling back at me! Some people were laughing... later, I knew why.
I happened to look down... took a second look. I went into shock! I couldn't believe what was happening to my sea shells! Each one was 'sprouting'.... legs!!! I almost had a heart attack!
I began screaming, my 'basket' of beautiful sea shells went flying through the air.... I began having a 'fit'. I was jumping up and down, feeling cold chills over my body... I forgot there were people around.
When I began to calm down... I sheepishly looked around. Everyone was bending over, laughing their asses off at me. I began to smile, laugh with them.
In my mind, I could see those legs had pinchers on them! I still don't know the name of the beautiful sea shells I found. I just know they have legs!
Oh, I made another vow at the ocean... I wouldn't be picking up beautiful sea shells like that, again!
That was two times, something 'too exciting' happened to me at the ocean. I don't trust a third time! I remember watching a documentary about sharks... guess what? Sharks can come up in the waves to the shore, and go back....
I could be walking in ankle-deep water, a shark could come sliding up, grab me by my ankle... take me on into the ocean with him. Did you know they could do that?
Sharks... can make us just disappear from standing on the shoreline. One minute we are there... the next, we are gone!
Wow! You did have some unpleasant experiences at the ocean. I can understand how you feel that way now. I like to walk on the seashore and let the waves come up over my feet. I admit, I do like riding the waves in too! Love, Ms. Nancy
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