Litter

     Once again, I congratulated myself for the wisdom (obvious in summer months, less so during the school year) of choosing to go into public education.  My daughter and her friend were in their swimming suits in the backseat.  I, their "mom/chauffeur" drove the 4 miles to our neighborhood beach.  There, we swam, ate ice cream and, in the July-est way possible, thoroughly enjoyed our day!

     My daughter and her friend were of the age, and swimming proficiency, where I had to keep an eye on them but not be right next to them.  In other words, I had glorious moments of solitude!  I alternated sunbathing with walks along the water.  During these walks, as is my nature, I picked up bits of litter in the area.  Every once in awhile I might grumble at the carelessly tossed straws, wrappers, plastic bags scattered on the beach.  Mostly, though, I mindlessly bent to pick up the items.

     During one of these walks, with the girls splashing in the water nearby, I spotted a large green garbage bag floating not far from them.  Rather than disturb them, I waded in with the intention of retrieving it myself.  As I began to approach it, however, the piercing sound of the lifeguard's whistler split the serene air in two.

     "Everyone, out of the water!"  Families gathered in silence.  Several stood.  Some remained seated on their blankets and chairs.  No one spoke.  Even the gulls, it seemed, were silent.  An ambulence siren bellowed in the distance.  Its eerie scream grew closer and closer.  EMT crew members ran to the water.  There, they pulled the "garbage bag" that I had nearly retrieved out of the water.  It was, as we later found out, the body of a young mother who had jumped to her death 24 hours before.  My girls- my daughter and her friend- were blissfully unaware how close they were to a greusome, tragic discovery!