It wasn’t windy, not windy at all.
Not then.
But it was cloudy and cold
And why did we even bother?

They barely fit anyway,
We hadn’t gotten new ones yet
‘Cause it was so early in the season.
And it was cloudy and cold, too.
And why would we need them?

But she wanted to go,
And she was always like that,
Eccentric, I guess, but not really.
She just had her own opinions.
And that perfect blonde hair
And those sparkling eyes
And that tinkling laugh
That could light up the skies.
And who would ever think?

And we dug holes in the sand,
Like we always did.
Traditional, right?
That’s what they say.
But what happens,
When traditions go away?

And then the water was so cold,
and so freezing, and I said
We should get out,
But she wanted to swim,
And she was always like that,
Eccentric, I guess, but not really.
She just loved the cold.

So I stayed
And we swam and we laughed
And caught seaweed between our toes,
Like we always did.
Traditional, right?

And then it kind of just happened
I don’t even know how.
There was no wind, and
it was so calm, and so peaceful.
Until it wasn’t.
Until she wasn’t at my side.
Until she couldn’t get back.
Until she was screaming.
Until the wave crested.
Until the wave crashed.
Until she went under.
And never came back up.

And now I’m supposed to be saying
something, that I’ll miss her?
That we all go eventually?

I’m supposed to be saying
something nice and consoling.
My favorite memory,
but how can I when they all blur into one?
When it’s so hot and sunny,
and we could be there now,
catching seaweed between our toes?

I’m supposed to be saying
something, anything.
But all I can think is that
I want to rewind the ocean.