Chapter 1

It was my turn to rake the beach. We guards usually use an as issued straight tined garden rake ... but ... me? I had to be different. In my shop I turned some scrap stainless into a stick with a Tee head ... made of perforated stainless tubing. Drag it through the sand ... it digs in about three inches ... more or less ... When it stops working, it’s full. Give it a shake ... the sand falls out the holes in the Tee and you are left with the debris. Sort through it and collect the valuables and dump the trash in the the trash-bag ... I have a garbage can with wide tires. When my section of beach was done I report to the guard-shack and bring the sort of things the beach users lose. Like rings, car keys, hotel stuff and ... eww ... condoms. Used condoms.

Oh Kay, ok, ok, ok ... it’s a nude beach and the most entertaining job I’ve ever had. But, I’m sixteen and lied about it. Admittedly I don’t LOOK 16 ... Mom says I grew up too fast. I look as old as the college age lifeguards ... and I hold a senior lifeguard license.

So ... It was my turn on cleanup. When the tide is out, I’m responsible for a 50 foot wide section of sand ... from the grass to the water. I pulled my custom rake through the beach sand. The normal ... junk ... and a diamond ring and two sets of car keys. One more pass ... the last pass. I struck a home-run ... or so I thought ... a two foot wide something ... it looked like leather, felt like leather ... but it was a baby manta ray. I figured it was dead. I had no idea how long the creature had been buried in the sand ... but ... like the idiot I can be at any given moment ... I took the thing home ... and put it in the house pool water ... to soften it. I use leather for custom fit tanning outfits. The ladies love ‘em.