thames

When the duckboat drives past, the passengers cannot resist the urge to wave at the man standing on the beach. The wave is an instinct which goes with excursionary travel. The voyagers want to share their pleasure. They want to participate. They want to reach out. Doing so they stretch out their hand, a movement which turns into a wave. The man waves back. It makes them smile.

The Thames is at low tide. A slippery beach has evolved. Mud and pebble entwined. The water trickles back through the pebbles to its home. The sun slants across it. The beach sparkles. A forest of dappled light. The man takes a step forward into the light. His foot sinks up to the ankle in rivermud.