The Sand Castle

The coastal breeze was welcoming as the afternoon was turning into a pleasant evening. A boy and a girl were walking along with plenty of time to play on this beautiful beach.

The girl saw a beautiful clear spot on the beach. She told her friend, ‘listen I have a bucket and a spatula, why don’t we build a castle here. You see the sand is perfectly moist here and away from the shore. Its just perfect!’

The boy liked the idea immediately. He always liked creating something new. He took the bucket and spatula from his friend and started craving a castle.

He would look up now and then to see the girl's face lighting up as the castle started shaping up. He was very pleased himself too. He did not know he could do this. He did not know that he had it in him to build a sand castle. He was surprised to know that in front of his eyes there was a new creation unfolding.

But then, the girl said ‘No! that’s not how I want it’. He waited for her to continue with the sand filled in the spatula. She explained ‘you see if you make that tower higher the front of the castle will look small’

She is right he thought. She probably can see it better. So he undid his tower and started working on the castle just the way she wanted it. It was almost done. He could almost see it in all its glory. The last dome and he would be proud owner of his own sand castle. His work was coming alive.  Then she said again ‘no no no.. that’s all wrong. That’s not how I want my castle’

He stood up with sand slipping out of his hands. ‘your castle?’

‘How is it your castle? I have made it with my two hands. Atleast say its our castle’. As soon as he said that he knew he did not feel that it belonged to both of them. He felt it was all his. His work… his creation.

She looked at him and the castle. ‘but that’s not how I want the castle to look like. With that dome it will be…like…’

He wasn’t even listening to her now. He was just staring at the castle...his hard work and he realised that he may have started it with her idea but it certainly wasn’t for her. He just wanted to create something new. May be he wanted to prove something but he wanted to prove it to himself. 

'This isn’t your castle'. He said; more to tell himself, than to her.

She was a little taken back and unpleased  now. ‘wasn’t this my idea? My bucket and my pstula?’ 'I was the one to have thought of it... then whats the problem if you make the stupid dome the way I want. I don’t understand why it's such a big deal for you’

Yes the idea was hers. She was right. She had thought of a beautiful castle at this perfect spot. She even had the bucket and spatula to built this castle. He could just demolish the whole damn thing and return it back the way it was...a beautiful piece of land. In fact better… he would fill her bucket with sand and return. But he could not bring himself to destry something he had created with so much passion. So, he returned her bucket and said ‘here you go! You are right… you can have it just the way you want it. But I gotta go..’ with that he gave her a sad smile, looked at his castle one last time and walked off.

She looked at him walking away and exclaimed ‘ what is the big deal? All for a stupid dome?’ guys!!! She finished the castle and went to the shore to wash off the sand from her hand. The sun had turned crimson red and as she walked back, she saw the castle glowing golden in the setting sun's hue. She was filled with contentment. Wasn’t she right!! This was just perfect. It stood tall, shimmering gold as the sun melted down in the sea. She sat there for a while, next to the castle, a little happy yet a little sad...alone!

It was getting dark now and she had to go home. She started walking slowly.. 

The full moon was bright and tides were getting closer to the castle. She turned to look at her castle one last time to see the boundry of the castle being washed away with the tide!








p.s:the story has a hidden meaning... the idea crept in my mind in a conversation to put my thoughts across the table metaphorically ( yes i am diplomatic). Tell me who do you relate to- the boy or the girl and what significance you can derive of the end.