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"I must have read about it in the paper," John added He tapped the end of his pen against his bottoal pad A little girl's laughter ca yapped The constant drone of waves provided a soothing white noise

"You always leave your door open with the air-conditioning on?"

"I like to hear the ocean while I work Don't you like it?"

She stood and walked over to gaze at the beach again "I love it," she admitted The ocean breeze jostled her hair as she tucked what she could of the liuard's whistle blew high and sharp More laughter and threads of fun conversations passed by the open doorway There was never total silence on the beach

"It's hypnotic," John added

"I could setYou just don't know"

John withdrew a standard contract fro cabinet behind him and placed it on the corner of his desk "Here," he said, "look this over"

She walked over and picked up the contract John stood, stretched, and slid his belt around into place so that the little pewter buckle of an eagle's as facing front He could never figure out hoould work its way off center He went over to the open doorway and looked out at the beach for hiht of the Atlantic always see about the s with the vastness of it all It cleared his mind of all his troubles and transported hi from someplace deep

As his eyes reen boxers that weretrunks didn't seem to slow theulls danced on the upper reaches of the breeze, one cascaded doard as the other struggled to stay aloft An older couple was clearing a spot for their cooler and lawn chairs They looked like professional beach people with their evenly tanned bodies and color, coordinated swiest blonde hair John had ever seen on a child was doing her best to help theether in one harmonious place in time