Fresh Seafood | Teen Ink

Fresh Seafood

June 7, 2016
By Anonymous

After six more hours of my dad’s terrible road rage, we finally arrived that balmy June evening. Our final destination was Washington, D.C., but my parents decided to make a gigantic detour to take all of us to the Atlantic Ocean for two nights. So there we were in Virginia Beach, our hotel room was on the ground floor, leading right out onto the beach and the boardwalk. “How awesome am I to get us this room?” My dad proceeded to ask, to no one in particular. It was a beautiful view, the clear blue ocean waves curling into snowy white at the tops, slowly approaching the smooth sand where beach-goers were beginning to pack up their towels and beach umbrellas.   Families with young children had already left the beach much earlier in the day, and as it grew dark, everyone else had started to leave too. Even Lifeguards put their shirts back on and descended down from their various posts on the beach. They were retiring to spend a night downtown or moseying around the boardwalk no doubt- well at least the tourists like us were. 


With no plans of swimming, we chose to walk around and find somewhere to get some food.  Our family of five strolled slowly down the boardwalk, moving in sort of a clumped formation.  I was in perfect beach attire, cut off jean shorts and a flowy tank top; my blonde hair blew around in the salty breeze. We gazed at the resorts that looked like simple concrete rectangles by day seemed to light up like Christmas trees at night, as did every florescent neon sign and hotel pool.  I could never understand those hotel pools, particularly the outdoor ones; I mean the ocean was right there to swim in.
      

We stopped at an outdoor restaurant but ended up leaving once we realized how busy it was- East coast seafood fresh from the ocean is apparently very popular.   It was a Saturday night after all, so while the ocean was calm, the people were not all that way. Most of them seemed to be in their mid-twenties and were headed out to clubs or parties on the beach and in town alike, or even just enjoying their vacation with an ice cream cone and a sundress while they listened to the sound of the waves.


After exploring different food options, we decided on a cheap dinner from the restaurant inside the hotel. But first, we wanted to feel the water. Well, my mom did anyway.  When she asked if I wanted to go with her, I did not want to go.  “I’m tired,” I objected, “and I really need to take a shower.”  Both of which were very true, but she insisted that I come with her anyway.


So we stepped off the boardwalk, advanced down the cement stairs to the beach and walked down the soft, white sand.  We moved slowly across the empty beach, it felt strange to see the place that had been packed with people just hours before now.


When the first salt scented wave started to roll towards us, I did not expect that a few seconds later I would be in water up to my knees. My mom must have seen my face because she said “It’s weird isn’t it?” I nodded in response and smiled too. “It’s warmer than I thought.” I told her.  It was warm compared to the beach breeze but still cold compared to the heat of summer air.

 

The ocean was like nothing I had ever experienced before and was simply one of the most beautiful things to experience. The sand felt soft on the bottoms of my bare feet, the water was cool around my ankles, the smell of the fresh sea food being fried and grilled completed the scene.


When we left two days later, I knew I would get back to that party town some day an experience it in a whole different way. Some places are always the same and all the same feelings come back whenever you go there. They are permanent.  Some places change with each visit and they are not how you remembered them. I will never be able to experience the ocean sweeping over my ankles for the first time ever again, but I will always remember how it felt.  It is something that will endure in my memory just like the sound of the waves, and the way the peace of the ocean clashed with the crazy voices, and most of all the aroma of the fresh seafood straight out of the Atlantic Ocean will never be forgotten.



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