Infinite-sea-mal

I went to Mangalore to attend my cousin’s naming ceremony. That was the first time I went to Mangalore. I wanted to go to the beach, but I was scared to ask my mother, as we were busy with the ceremony. We were in Mangalore only for that day and we were to travel back to Hubli that night. To my excitement the ceremony got over by noon. But, after the ceremony, we had to go shopping. There was a new saree shop of one of our relatives which had opened recently. My mother wanted to go to the saree shop. I knew the plan to go to the beach was off, since I knew my mother takes forever to come out of the saree shop. Only one respite was the Kokum juice they gave in the saree shop, which was a perfect antidote for the humidity of the summer. 

Finally towards evening at 4, we came out of the shop. My uncle told, what was on my mind the whole day, that we will go to the beach to see the sunset. My heart fluttered with joy, as we went towards the beach. Even before the sand started filling the path to the beach, I could hear the sound of the waves. The exhilaration I felt was unmatchable. By the time we reached the beach, my breath was in sync with the sound of the waves. 

My mother and her sister dumped the shopping bags full of sarees together in a place far from water, guarding them as treasures. They didn’t want to get in the water, as they did not like both sand and the sea.

As for me, even though I wanted to, I couldn’t get into the water as I didn’t have alternate clothes. I folded my pants, and went near the sea, till it just touched my feet. The time stood still. In that small pocket of time, I felt like I stayed there for eternity. I was never the same again. The wind, the waves, nothing like I had experienced before. The bond between me and the sea was formed.

This was my first experience of the beach, and I wanted to make the most of it. My uncles, sister and I raced in the sand, not worrying who would win or lose. It was not for the competition, it was for the sheer joy we felt digging our feet in the sand. We laughed, we picked pebbles and sea shells. We tried making a sand castle, but unknowingly it resembled an underground bunker. We felt we should have brought frisbee to play there, but that is for another day. 

And after all the chaos, we sat there simply watching the sun. Slowly, like we dip biscuits into tea, the sun sank into the sea.

~END~

(Author Notes: This is another story, that was written as part of creative writing workshop entrance test. I edited this story quiet a bit, from it's original form. This story had a picture prompt. My first experience with beach, as far as I can remember back, was in Murudeshwara. I went there as part of my school trip. The infinite space within finite confines, always boggled me. Like infinite count of decimal numbers between zero and one. The title is a play on the word for that concept- infinitesimal, and indicates the affect of sea on time in my mind.)