Chapter 3

A day at the beach

A truck driving by with a screeching tire woke him. He stretched and wondered how long he had slept. He thought it was about dawn as a pale light was growing in the east. He got up and stretched again. He went into the public loo and in a few minutes came up with his hands and face scrubbed and feeling more awake. He was hungry again and took the last two sandwiches out of his bag and fed one to Paddy and ate one himself. They shared a water bottle, which he refilled from a fountain and set off again. He walked for some time.

Meanwhile back in Little Winging at his relations house, Petunia asked, "Should I let the boy out?"

"Nope let the little freak stay in there another day. Serve him right after what he did," said his uncle.

Harry came to a bus stop and looked up the route number and then his map. He thought that this would take him to south and east towards Brighton and further away from his family. He smiled and ruffled the fur on the big black dog's head.

"Want to go to the beach Paddy? I've never been to the beach. We can take the bus from here! Just think about it Paddy! Surf, sand and amusements! The boardwalk! I've always wanted to visit the beach," said Harry as he danced around the dog.

He stopped and waited for the bus. He did not have long to wait and the bus stopped at the curb. The boy climbed aboard with the dog at his heels. He addressed the bus driver.

"Sir, this is my dog. He is very well behaved and I promise to be responsible for him. Can we both come on the bus? Please."

"Sure son. Sit quietly please."

It was a long ride but finally they arrived at the seashore. The boy and dog got off the bus and strolled along the beach for a while on the sand. He stood and put his arms wide to each side and sniffed a huge breath of air.

"AH the sweet smell of freedom Paddy!" I've never been to the beach before," said Harry as he spun around laughing. He was fascinated by the waves. Harry took his trainers and socks off and they walked a long way at the edge of the water skipping rocks into the waves, looking for seashells and the odd piece of sea glass, worn smooth by the wave action and the sand. They wondered for a quite a while until a policeman stopped them.

"Son dogs are not allowed on the beach at this time of year. You will have to take him up on the sidewalk and put him on a leash."

Harry looked down at his feet, a red blush filling his cheeks.

"I'm sorry Mr. Constable Sir; I did not mean to break the law. I did not know. This is my first time at the beach. Are you going to arrest us?"

Just then Paddy woofed and sat down in front of Harry and picked up his paw to shake hands with the constable.

The man smiled and said: "Don't worry son, just take him up on the sidewalk and all will be fine."

"Thank you sir, come on Paddy, time to go" and Harry and the dog walked directly up to the sidewalk.

They spent the day on the boardwalk, gorging themselves on fish and chips, looking into shop windows, gawking at the carts of the street vendors and taking rides on the carousel and Ferris wheel. He watched a group of men playing basketball on a court by the beach and a group of teenagers playing volleyball. He wondered if he'd ever have friends to play games with like basketball and volleyball.

"Hey Paddy, do you want some ice cream," asked Harry as they passed a little shop? The dog woofed and wagged his tail. Harry leaned over and said,

"I never got to have ice cream at my Aunts because my Uncle always said, "Boy, ice cream is not for freaks like you. I think we ought to have some Paddy."

He bought an ice cream sundae for himself, two scoops of chocolate, with whipped cream, hot chocolate fudge sauce for himself, and two scoops of vanilla in a bowl for Paddy. Harry marveled at the ice cream. It was better than the little cups they handed out in school.

It was getting dark and he was tired. The past two days were wonderful. They were the best two days he ever remembered having. Two days without being called a freak, without being struck and no cupboard under the stairs. Harry had been able to do something other kids got to do. Go to the zoo and go to the beach. They sat on a bench looking at the ocean. Harry leaning back and Paddy with his head in his lap. Soon the gentle sound of the waves lulled him to sleep.

He woke with a start. He looked around. The air was still and it was quite dark now. All the lights were out in the shops and the street lamps cast eerie shadows on the ground. He had slept more than a few minutes. It felt late. He took Paddy by the scruff of the neck and went onto the beach. He walked a ways and found a place close to the wall that was entirely in shadow. There were several empty card board boxes on the sand. Harry opened each box up and spread it on the ground. He was surprised the sand was still warm. He took his jacket out of the back pack and put it on and then curled up on the cardboard. Paddy nestled next to him and he put his arm around him and drifted off to sleep. He awoke with the sun on his face and sea birds making a racket as they hovered over the full trash bins that lined the boardwalk. They were a daring lot diving in to snatch a scrap as the bin men dumped the bins into their lorry to be hauled away. Harry stood up and stretched. He smiled. "Another day at the beach Paddy!"

And that was what the duo did. Harry and Paddy roamed up and down the beach, purchased a breakfast from a taco truck, and rode the Carousel a second and third time. Harry bought two tacos, one for him and one for Paddy. He'd never had one but saw them advertised on TV and had seen classmates eating them. He was surprised that he did not like the beef one, which he gave to Paddy and loved the chicken. They spent much time on the card board leaning against the seawall, looking at the waves. The beach was not crowded today and it was cold to be at the beach but Harry loved the feeling of freedom he had being alone with the dog. They took several walks along the surf line and Harry collected several neat looking shells and pieces of blue, green and pink sea glass. Later that evening when things really quieted down Harry and Paddy were sitting on a bench on the boardwalk. Harry was tired and was yawning. He felt content. He was free, he had a full belly and he had a friend. All more than he ever could remember having before. He put his head down for a minute as he hugged Paddy but fell asleep almost instantly.

A group of teenagers was walking on the boardwalk towards him talking loudly roughhousing and pushing one another. Paddy stood up and started to growl placing himself between the group and the boy.

Harry awoke at the noise. He took one look at the group and knew fear. They were trouble, he thought. He could not stay here. The bench was too out in the open. He got up, very worried about where he would go for the night.

"Come on Paddy let's go;" he said as he headed onto the beach and into the shadows below the seawall and boardwalk.

He quietly walked off following the seawall, staying in the darkness cast by hits shadow. Moving quietly and stealthily for a ways and then back onto the sidewalk once he was well past the group of rowdy teenagers. He headed to back towards the main street where he had gotten off the bus. It was quite dark and the lights at the bus stop were not working. He stepped off the curb by mistake and was startled so he raised his hand.

He was amazed to spy an oddest looking bus he'd ever seen, which rapidly approached and which stopped with a screech of tires abreast of where he stood. He sensed that it had just appeared out of nowhere. It was a garish shade of purple and three decks!

Harry blinked his eyes rapidly. Was he still asleep and dreaming?

The door opened and a man, not much older than a teenager, and very oddly dressed, stepped off the bus.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening. The fare is eleven sickles."

The driver leaned forward and almost fell out of his seat when he saw the prospective passenger. "Enough of that Stan. Get him and you on the bus now."

Harry blinked his eyes rapidly again. He just did not believe what he was seeing.

The driver motioned him inside. Stan the conductor gave him a hand up and asked,

"Where to son?"