Skipping Stones

"Mom!" Colin shouted, as he watched ocean waves smack against the shore, at Big Cove beach.

Looking up from her beach blanket, she asked, "What?"

"Did ya see the sail boat? Want to see me skip a stone? Okay if I go for a swim?” asked Colin. "Can I mom? Huh?"

"Which question do you want me to answer first?" mom asked.

"The one about skipping stones," answered Colin.

"Yes," mom said with a smile.

"Thanks mom." His first stone went KEPLUNK! "Shucks, only one splash,” he said.

"Nice try,” mom said. “Okay if I get my suntan?"

"Watch this one mom," Colin insisted.

"Okay, once more." she said.

Colin’s stone simply went KERPLUNK! He could do better. After all, wasn’t he the best ‘skipper’ on the beach?

He proved it last weekend when he did seven skips. Even his buddies said it was something special.

He watched his mother cover her face with Sun Block.

Colin came from Truro. Some friends came from Merigomish, a few miles past New Glasgow. “Oh-my-gosh, MER-I-GO-MISH” Colin said out loud.

The words sounded like a poem.

"What's that?" his mother asked.

"Nothing," Colin answered.

It was time to look for a perfect stone. It had to be small like a quarter. Colin asked, "May I go over to that big tree?"

"No further than that," mom said, sitting up.

Colin skipped across the sand, toes feeling like sausages sizzling on a barbecue. Thankfully the wind was chilly, as waves continued to slap against the beach.

Stepping on mushy seaweed was gross. Colin picked up a few dried up crab shells, and colored bits of clamshells.

He found several rounded stones. The first one had a lump on one side. But, it gave a good grip. Colin stood sideways facing the ocean, feet spread out.

Toes dug into the sand until they were almost hidden like baby clams.

He was a sailor ready to set sail, and his stone a speedy boat. It would ride the waves, skipping over and over.

He hoped it might even hit the other side of the bay. Colin raised an arm, leaned down and threw with power.

"Take that!" he shouted.

His stone soared noisily across the water.

"SLURSH! SLURSH! then KERPLUNK!”

After three skips it was swallowed up by the ocean. He was sure that sea gull was laughing at him.

"Not fair!" Colin shouted. The joke was on him.

Imagine, he could not get seven skips today. If only he was allowed to check the whole beach. The perfect stone may be underwater.

After checking out driftwood pieces and an old rope, he returned to mom. "I'm hungry," he said, pushing away any more ‘skipping’ plans.

After eating, Colin and his mom had a contest to build the best sand castle.

Mom won.

They had a tickling contest. She won again.

"I could beat you skipping stones," Colin said.

"You think so?" mom teased.

"Yes, I can." He smiled.

The contest was on. Colin would prove he was the best stone-skipping champion in all Nova Scotia. It would be fun to beat his mom at something.

He searched all over the beach for the perfect stone. Colin looked under driftwood, and little sand dunes on the shore. He even searched under squirmy seaweed.

Finally, he found the perfect stone. It was the size of a Canadian ‘Toonie’ except heavier. Yes, this was a winner.

Colin even practiced his winning laugh. "Ha-Ha-Ha." Or should he say, "I finally won!" But, that might be bragging. He didn’t want to act like that.

As Colin sat on the beach he remembered the many times mom helped him.

She always listened when he had a problem.

Mom brought back his balloon when it escaped.

She even lifted him from the ocean when a wave knocked him on his face. Having a mouthful of salt water was not nice.

Yesterday she barbecued those tasty hot dogs. Besides, his mother gave the best hugs any boy would want.

Did he really want to win over mom?

Maybe he could think of another contest.

What should he do?

"Colin?"

"Yeah, mom?"

"I’m ready for our skipping stone contest,” she said.

"Just a minute, I'm thinking," he said, placing his sure-fire winning stone in his pocket.

"Come see what I found," his mother said. Hers was a nice round one, but not quite as fine as his. Colin was sure he had the winning one.

But it didn’t seem so important right now. "I know another game we could play," he said.

"Is it a new game?" asked his mother.

"Yes," Colin answered.

“Is it a fun game?” she asked.

“Yes,” her son answered with a huge smile.

“Do you think you can beat me this time?”

“Yes! Yes!” he yelled.

“Okay, what is it then?” mom asked.

“The first one to say, I LOVE YOU TEN TIMES!” He shouted loud enough for the seagulls to hear.

Colin won.

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© Richard & Esther Provencher