Short Stories

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There was a small boy who lived near the ocean. Everyday he dreamed of being a sailor, of being able to travel to new far away lands. For his eigth birthday his father gave him a toy boat. It had a blue bottom with tiny portholes painted here and there. It wasn't the type of boat he often saw in the harbor that had sails that allowed the boat to move this way and that, instead it was the kind he'd seen only at a very far distance, ones that seemed small enough that when he held is hand just right he could pretend to balance the boat on the tip of his finger.

The boy smiled at the thought and left his home for the beach as he did every day precisely the moment he got back from school. As always, he'd take the boat and float it in the calm waves of the salty ocean. He was always careful not to let the boat stray too far from him, he was very afraid of the boat wanting to leave the harbor like all the other big boats had done. However, today felt different. He was very anxious to get the boat to the ocean.

The sun was hidden by a few clouds, and the cool shadows that were cast down, renewed his excitement bringing him to a gallop towards the ocean. The boy talked to the boat as if it were alive, and to him it was. He didn't have many friends, the kids at school teased him because he wasn't as smart as they were, and that his daddy worked at the factory instead of the tall buildings that he could see from his bedroom window. When he reached the ocean, he held the boat up just above his face, as one might hold a puppy to keep it from licking your face, and he said to the boat, "Boat, I'm going to let you go out a little farther today, but don't leave me." In his mind the worn out boat seemed to smile back in agreement.

The boy and the boat sat still in water as gentle wave splashed quietly on the stones around him. The boy decided that he should take the boat out farther. So he picked his boat up and moved until he was standing up to his hips in the water. He put it in front of him and watched it lazily for a moment or two. He didn't notice the wind was beginning to pick up and storm clouds were gathering not far off shore. He heard a voice call from the shore and he reluctantly turned from his prized toy to see who was calling. His mother had come to tell him it was time to come in before the rain began.

He turned his head back to the ocean, his boat no where in sight. Sudden saddness, grief and fear swept over him. "Boat!" he cried, "Where have you gone?" His big eyes frantically searched the horizon. He grew more and more worried as the moments passed. His mother was still hollering for him, but he wouldn't leave with out his boat.

Tears began to make thier way down his puffy cheeks and began to blur his vision. Lightening struck not to far in the distance, and his mother was wading in to get him. He had to leave his friend to ride out this horrible storm and in great sadness he went to the beach and back home.

The next day was bright and sunny, but the boy's heart was broken.

When the school bus dropped him off at the corner, he went straight to the beach instead of going home hoping to see his little boat had come back. He bit his lip in nervousness as he climbed his way to the sandy shore. He searched the water where he'd been the day before. When he found nothing, he searched the spots of rocks and reeds hoping his boat had found refuge with in them. It was nearly dark and his mother began calling him again. He once again returned home downhearted.

Days, then weeks, then months went by, and every day the boy returned to the beach to see if his boat had come back. Soon years had gone by, and though the boy has become a man, he still patiently waits for his boat to return to him.

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