Eighteen-year-old Kellie had wandered over to the man who was fishing. He was (at least for now) in his 30s, with brown, wavy hair, and he was wearing a tank top, sandals and a bathing suit.
“Catch anything?” the curvy teen asked, surprised she had the guts to just come right out and ask.
“Nothing yet,” the man replied, flashing her a smile. “Here by yourself?”
“No, I’m here with my younger sister,” Kellie replied. “She’s the tall girl over there by those old people.”
“Old, huh?” the man teased. “Don’t like older people?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that,” Kellie blushed. “I’m Kellie by the way.”
“And I’m Jake. So as long as we’re talking about age, how old are you?”
“I’m 18,” Kellie said. “How old are you?”
“I’m 29,” Jake replied. “Can I show you how to fish?”
“Sure, why not?”
***
A few minutes earlier, when Kellie was walking over toward Jake, two couples who were now in their 40s were sitting side-by-side at beach umbrellas nearby 17-year-old Katie. One of the wives, now 41-year-old Andie, was unconsciously tapping her foot, much to the annoyance of her husband, 43-year-old Robert. Next to them were their friends, 42-year-old couple Susan and Jim.
“Andie, sweetheart, do you mind not tapping on the sand so loud?” Robert asked. “I’m trying to read my Kindle.”
“I’m sorry,”Andie replied. “I don’t know what’s come over me. Must be restless leg syndrome. I just feel so energized.”
“You know that’s weird, so do I,” Susan said. “I can’t for the life of me figure out why. I must have had too much coffee.”
Jim, meanwhile, caught a glimpse of the 17-year-old nearby. Which was not unnoticed by his wife, who poked him and whispered “eyes front, Jim. She’s just a baby. Read your book.”
“Yes dear,” Jim whispered. Aloud, he said: “So Bob, Andie, big plans coming up? Andie has a big birthday soon!”
“That’s right,” Susan said. “It’s not every day you turn the big 4-0!”
“Oh please, don’t remind me!” Andie said.
“It’s not that bad,” Jim said. “We had fun last year when we turned 40, isn’t that right?”
“Speak for yourself,” Susan said with a wink.
***
A few minutes earlier, when Kellie was walking toward Jake, a group of 6 ladies, all age 53, were sitting around gabbing. The woman who had asked Katie to watch her mouth was a matronly woman with greying red hair named Mary Elyse. She stood up and walked over to the teen.
“Miss, I’d like to apologize, I’m not your mother, I shouldn’t have been rude to you,” Mary Elyse said.
“No, it’s me, I’m sorry,” Katie said. “You ladies are obviously here enjoying a day off, I should keep my problems to myself.”
“Well, at any rate, you are welcome to join us,” Mary Elyse said. “We don’t bite.”
“Thanks, but I’m trying to keep my eye on my little sister,” 18-year-old Katie said. “She’s over there talking to that guy who’s obviously, what, 20-something? She’s only a high school senior.”
“Well, come join us anyway,” 49-year-old Mary Elyse said, unconsciously tugging at her one-piece, which was looser in the belly than she remembered. “You can still see her from here, and he seems to just be talking.”
“Well … OK,” Katie said.
Down the beach, 17-year-old Kellie was reeling in a small fish as 27-year-old Jake looked on.
“Good job!” Jake said. “You’re a regular Captain Ahab!”
“I get that reference!” Kellie said. “We read that book last year in school!”
“Last year, huh?” Jake said. “Must be fun to be a teenager these days. I can’t believe I’ve been out of high school almost ten years!”
“Haha you don’t look that old to me!” Kellie said. “Hey … you got any beer?”
“I don’t know if I should give you beer,” Jake said. “How would that look?”
“Who cares, as long as my big sister over there doesn’t see,” Kellie said. “She thinks she’s so great, just because she’s a year older than me!”
Meanwhile, the couples continued to talk about birthday plans, not noticing their mannerisms changing.
“Andie, I know you don’t think 36 is a big deal,” Susan said, unconsciously fingering a loose shoulder strap on her swimsuit, “but you should at least celebrate. The four of us will go out for dinner!”
“All right, dinner then,” Andie said, also pulling up a loose strap. But just that.” She looked over at her husband. “Robert do you have any interest in this at all?”
“Of course I do, dear,” Roobert said. He was actually trying to read his Kindle still. He was having a hard time concentrating on the material.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Katie didn’t seem to mind talking to the ladies, now approximately 48 years old. They were quite affable, and it seemed like their sense of humor was picking up.
“I don’t know why I was worried,” Katie thought. “This isn’t too bad after all.”
Unnoticed, the ring crackled with energy, and the changes continued.