Sand is everywhere; in our limp fish-paste and cucumber sandwiches, my salt-sticky hair, and chafing in the elastic of my knicker-legs.
Dad rages over his forgotten sunglasses. My brother, the butt of his anger, has wandered off, so now Dad’s squinting and snapping at Mum as she nervously fingers her matted cardigan.
She so wanted a holiday. But probably not this one.
Nearby, another family eat crusty rolls, paté, fruit and salad from plastic containers. They laugh, play together, the grown-ups drinking wine, touching each other, teasing their kids.
There’s another life out there.
And that’s the one I’ll have.
Those were the days hey? 🙂 Thanks to Rochelle, for all that she does for the Friday Fictioneers. Click on the froggie to join us with your 100 word story.
castelsarrasin 
I liked now you compared the families and also took us behind the scenes
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Thanks for reading, Michael.
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Beautifully observed, Sandra
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Many thanks, Neil.
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Runs deep!
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I can only cheer her on. I enjoyed how the internal thoughts and emotions came through vividly in the story.
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Thanks for reading, James.
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Touching story.
We teach kids a lot. Adults need to be careful.
Love the last line. There’s decision & certainty involved.
Glad that this child knows exactly what she/he wants.
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Thanks for reading, Anita.
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Dear Sandra,
I could feel the grit in this…both the physical and emotional. I like the way you end with a note of determination. Well written as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for reading. Enjoyed your ‘pun’.
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Beaches always look inviting… but all that sand…
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I know. I only remember the gritty bits…
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Oh yes, there is definitely another life out there. So well done, I felt the sand in my own knickers 🙂
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Kinda stays with you, no?
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That it does!
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I spent my teens in Hove, walking on the beach to soothe my frequently broken heart, and always grateful that the beach was shingle, not sand. It’s almost impossible to get shingle in your sandwiches or your knickers!
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Yes, there is that, Liz. 🙂
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So richly nuanced with human nature. A lot of story in 100 words!
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Thanks for reading. 🙂
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You’re very welcome.
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I really like the way you contrast the two families. The pivot “She so wanted a holiday. But probably not this one” swings our attention to the happy family in a very fluent fashion; a lovely piece of technique.
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Thanks for reading, Penny, and for yur thoughtful comment.
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Love it!
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I’m sure that one day her children will enjoy the life she saw and envied from afar. (or he!)
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When we used to go camping; it could be a very intimate space where family dynamics were on show. Beautifully captured. I feel her longing for something better.
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Yes, there are good parts and bad parts to the family holiday.
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Poignant, so well observed and written. I could feel the pang in the narrator’s heart.
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Thanks for reading Jilly.
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Trips to the beach always sound so idyllic, but this is closer to the reality! The sand clean up afterwards is what I always remember most. Worth it for some memories though? Maybe! Nice one 🙂
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Urgh! the sand clean up. Mother shrieking “don’t put those in the washing machine without rinsing” !
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Well crafted thoughts, Sandra. I enjoyed reading it.
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Thanks Bill. Glad you enjoyed it.
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Inspiring sense of hope at the end of this, Sandra. You have taken us so deep into the family through this little snapshot. I hope your MC fulfills her dreams.
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I’m sure she did. Thanks for reading, Jen.
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should take the bad with the good. i’m sure there are better days too. 🙂
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Maybe so. Thanks for reading.
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I like that your protagonist is aspiring to a more ideal family life. I bet that other family has their fair share of bad days too, though.
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Yes, maybe. Thanks for reading.
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Your MC is on a mission. Some very beautiful descriptions, Sandra.
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Many thanks Neel.
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grass is always greener on the other side
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It seems that way. Thanks for reading. I read yours, but for some reason it wouldn’t accept my comment. Anyway, enjoyed it.
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Ah, Sandra, this was palpable, as was the contrast with the other family on the beach, and the sharpness of the determination. Well done!
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Many thanks!
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The small details bring the whole scene, and the characters, to life, and I’m there with that suffering little girl. One can read between the lines and feel that this isn’t an isolated instance of her father’s mean-spiritedness. I hope she achieves her dream.
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I think she did. She had enough grit. See what I did there? 🙂
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Hope she gets it.
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Thanks for reading, Danny.
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Good for the girl to aim for better things. Margaret said it all, better than I can, it’s exactly what I thought.
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Thanks for reading. 🙂
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They say the grass is always greener on the other side. Not true but still nice to envision!
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It’s the day dreams that keep you going sometimes. Thanks for reading.
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Your story reminds me of Tolstoy’s saying: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” In this case, both families are surrounded by sand, but one is definitely more bothered by it than the other. Really enjoyed your descriptive writing.
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Thanks for reading, and for your interesting comment.
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My pleasure.
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Excellent job of contrast and comparison. Those who have grown up with an angry father will understand the yearning for something better.
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Indeed they will! Thanks for reading, Linda.
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Having been in both versions of this story, I can feel the differences beneath the surface. I hope the narrator gets the better, “simpler” life they are looking for. Well told with so many memories.
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