Sunday, January 22, 2006

Winter Beach Day!

The only people on the beach in the wintertime are Russian hookers and guys whose girlfriends just ran off. You're one of the latter. The winter beach is the perfect place where people who feel terrible can feel even worse. Just walk along the endless stretch of cold white sand and wonder what you could have done to make her leave. She's not a cruel person, and yet she felt it necessary to leave you in the middle of winter to try and find some way to stay warm on your own. The winter beach is great because it allows you to believe that staying warm on your own is impossible. There's nothing but icy wind ahead and the ceaseless pounding of the waves.

Your walk will lead you to a huddle of Russian hookers near the boardwalk. They'll be squatting in a circle around one hooker who was beaten by a customer. You'll lean in to watch as they use a scarf try to stop the bleeding from the hooker's head wound. One of the hookers near you will turn to you and say in Russian, "I don't think she's going to make it." You don't understand Russian, but you'll respond in English, "Why would she want to?"

Happy Winter Beach Day!