the man and the colour of sand

published: 2011-05-29

The sea was the colour of the sand. Hazy shades of browns. I had never seen it that way. Sometimes the sea disappears into the sky. But not into the sand.
There was so much wind that all sound was whisked away. The sea-gulls were mute, the waves broke in silence.
I leaned against the wind, walked into it. It brought silence to me as well by blowing my brains out. The sea spat up foam which the wind broke into little pieces. White bits of foam scuttled across the sand, like a flock of birds flying up to the skies. Startled by something.
I thought I was alone. But a man overtook me. He was much older than I am. He was wearing beige coloured trousers and a brown blazer. His hair was grey. He too looked like the sand. He had put one hand in his pocket. And his scarf flapped behind him. His legs were crooked yet he walked with ease, as if there were no wind pushing him back. I tried to keep up pace. Where was he heading? There was nothing to go to.
I stopped and turned back, the wind now pushed me forward. It wanted me to run. I didn’t. I walked. Immediately the thoughts returned. As did the pain in my legs. I looked over my shoulder. The man had disappeared.