Lily,Lily,Lily
So they went out, Jimmy was standing on the shady side of the house, munching on some sea oats. He came over to them, trumpeting really loud, and asked if he could carry them again.
“Not this time, Jimmy, we want to play now.”
“We have to walk first before we get to the play ground. Jimmy, why don’t you stay here and continue eating, it is nice and breezy here on the shady side of the house. We will be back by the time the sun stands high.”
And so they went, Lily had put the long shirt on again and the pants as well. Sandy had showed her how to do that. They walked in the soft sand by the edge of the water, she felt so very normal, and so did he. They walked in the opposite direction of the castle the day before. People did not know that there was a very unusual girl in their midst and so they could walk without interruption. Lily felt as if she had had legs always. They arrived at a very wide section of the beach. It had been converted to a playground with all sorts of climbing equipment and swings. She sat down on one of the swings, while Sandy held it steady. Then he pushed gently and Lily started to fly. She moved her body automatically to get the swinging action going. Her laughter was bubbling out of her and she very much enjoyed this. Sandy gave her a little push now and then, but soon she tired of this and jumped off.
“Oh, this was fun! Was that a game?”
"Sort of, this was more like playing."
“But I want to know what a game is?”
“Ok, look over there. See the group of young people over there, they are playing a game. See the net that they have put up between the two posts?”
“Yes, I see that. Can I go and join in the fun?”
“That depends on the players, it they want to have you as a team member. But go over and ask.”
So Lily ran over to the group of players and asked them, if she could join them. The team members looked at each other, then at Lily and one of them said:
“You sound funny, where do you come from, I mean what country?”
“I came from here, from the beach. A boy built me.”
“Oh, you are a beach girl. Sure you can join, if you can keep up with us.”
So she went over to the other side of the net, joined the group, and they started playing. At first it was hard for her to catch the ball, but soon she understood what she had to do, and she became more confident in it. They played for a while, and soon her team had scored 3 points above the other team. She loved it and started to summersault with the joy in herself. Sandy stood beside the field where they were playing and clapped his hands. Lily had made friends, and that made him happy. And then the game was over. The new friends had to leave the beach to go home, so Lily looked at Sandy and said:
“I love this game, are there any other games?”
“Yes there are. But we should go now and have some lunch. Lily, there are so many games that I will show you, but not now.”
So they started their way back to Sandy’s house, where Jimmy was waiting patiently. Jimmy had eaten so many sea oats, he felt so full and happy. He trumpeted a greeting as he saw them approaching, ran towards them and it felt so good to have them back. Sandy reached in his pocket and pulled out a little toy trumpet, a furl up thing you play for a birthday. A blow out toy. He blew into it and it made Jimmy curl up his trunk and try to imitate. It sounded funny to Lily, so she started to giggle. All of them were infected with that giggle and so they stood in front of the Beach house and laughed and laughed. One of Sandy’s beach friends came along, he joined in the laughter. He also snatched Lily’s nose and pretended to have it by shoving his thumb through his fingers. She looked at his hands and could not believe it, so she touched her nose and said:
“That must be a game you just played with me, Mark?”
“You are right, Lily. That was a game.”
"Where do you come from? Lily?”
“A little boy made me, then Sandy picked me up and brought me here.”
“What do you mean a little boy made you?”
Sandy came and joined them now. “Mark, you will not believe this, but the day before yesterday morning when I walked the beach, I stumbled on to this sand sculpture a little guy had made. That is when Lily here started to talk to me. I picked her up, she was a mermaid then, her tail fell off and two legs grew out of her.”
“You are kidding me, right Sandy?”
“No Mark, I am serious.”
“Lily is a little sand sculpture that came to life. I know that that sounds unbelievable, but it is so.”
“Wow, do you have any proof?”
“Actually, Mark, I took some pictures. Here, see for yourself.”
So Mark looked at the pictures and said: “Wow, that is news worthy!”
Sandy chuckled. “Well, yea.”
“I got a friend in the news business, Sandy. Would you like me to call him?”
“I guess that that would be alright. Lily, can you come here for a little bit?”
Lily danced over to where Sandy and Mark were standing. Jimmy was still standing outside, he looked in through the window on the side of the house. Lily waved at him and she looked up to Sandy. “Yes?”
“Hmmm.” Lily Turned to Sandy with a question on her face. She did not know what Mark was talking about. So Sandy explained the news shows and articles that are written for the news papers. “That might be fun,” she said. “I would do this Mark.”
“Good, then I will give the reporter a call.”
So Mark called his friend, they made an appointment for tomorrow. Lily walked over to the open window to talk to Jimmy: “Jimmy, I like to go back to our castle. Come please and pick me up.”
