The Sandman and The Sea Girl

This was going to be a poem for my Muse but when I thought properly about it became heavily influenced by “The Snow Goose” by Paul Gallico (which you can read about here) and I realised it had to be a proper story. You will see the similarities if you know the book , but this is my take on this sort of situation.

The Sea Girl is vaguely based on Fritha and the Sandman based on Rhayader and the guy on the beach who won't move from his boat house in Local Hero

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She’s been sent out again by her parents to find food , and driftwood for the fire. The best share good do was molluscs but often hurt her hands to the point of bleeding when she tried to get them off the rocks they were stuck to. Sometimes she found fish trapped in rock pools and this and herbs and berries sometimes satisfied her parents.

If she didn’t come back with food , she didn’t eat, even if she brought back wood for the fire.

She was known as the Sea Girl because she was always wandering the shore , looking for food and salvageable flotsam and jetsam. Once she found a crate with four bottles of whiskey in it , but she wasn’t allowed to touch it , her parents drank it all themselves then blamed her for their subsequent hangovers.

Her life was miserable but she was happy walking along the shoreline , enjoying the view , looking out to see the odd ship or boat out there. Sometimes the storms came and she went back home empty handed and therefore to bed with an empty stomach, but the following day there was often contraband to be picked up on the beach from wrecked boats , though she had to be quick because others came looking for free booty.

One day she was wandering and saw a seagull that was having problems. It couldn’t fly , she saw one of its wings was bleeding , possibly broken. She came towards it and the gull observed her but didn’t try to move.

She knew she could pick it up , she was good with animals and birds , but knew nothing of healing , and knew if she took the bird home it would be killed and in the pot. She really didn’t want that.

She looked to the far end of the beach and saw the upturned boat that was the home of the SandMan. He had lived on the beach forever , like a hermit, and there was smoke so he was in. He was a bit like a bogeyman , so she was not sure if he could help her, but he was her only option. She had no friends, so she picked up the bird and walked towards the SandMan’s dwelling.

She walked up and ……

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING HERE!!!

I’m sorry sir , I found this injured bird and hope you could help me get him better

I have seen you , you’re the Sea Girl aren’t you? I see you gathering things and you never normally cause trouble

I don’t want to cause trouble sir , I just want to help the bird

She could smell something cooking , and looked over to the smoking pot

You hungry girl?

Yes sir

Don’t your parents feed you?

Only when I bring food back

That is terrible , parents should feed their children regardless.

Sit down , we’ll take a look at your bird and get you properly fed

He ladeled stew into a tin dish and gave it to her with a spoon

It was hot but it was the best stew she had ever tasted.

She ate it and for the first time since she could remember , she felt full

He took the bird and stroked it , and felt it

The bone is dislocated so it can’t fly. I am going to hurt it and push the bone back in, it might screech a bit , but don’t be frightened.

The Sandman massaged then pushed and the gull went wild but he held it firm.

The Sea Girl was amazed.

He gave her the gull

Now take it outside and see if it can fly

She took the gull out and released it , tentatively it hopped around and then suddenly took to the air and off out to sea.

She was so happy.

You are such a good girl , I hope you come back and we can chat , and if you are ever hungry you come to me and we will find something for you.

You best be getting home , here’s a lobster , some mussels and some driftwood, so you should be fine tonight.

I expect to see you tomorrow.

The Sea Girl set off home happier than she had ever been.

She had saved and bird and made a new lifetime friend

So had the Sandman …….

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If you would like to know where the friendship goes from here you can find out here.