The Toilet and the Handsome Man

This happened at Huntington Beach on my trip to California two summers ago.

 I began writing this blog post half a year ago.  However I didn't know exactly why I would want to share this story with the world, so I decided to save it as a draft and come back to it in the future. 

Well, the future is now.  Enjoy.

Me stepping onto the beach for the first time.  May 28, 2011. 

 

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My friend and I were walking along Huntington Beach in California.  It was my first time visiting a beach on the mainland and I was a little shocked.  The sun was shining brightly in the summer-sky...

...but brrrrr, I still felt cold. 

The wind tickled my skin with its cold fingers as it penetrated through my jacket.  Although my jacket sufficed at keeping me warm back in Hawaii, it wasn't protecting me against the coldness that I was feeling.   As strange as it sounds, a part of me wished that I had worn pants instead of board shorts to the beach.

"I gotta use the bathroom," I told my friend.

"Okay, I'll wait here," my friend replied.

The bathroom was similar to a portable toilet except that it wasn't portable.  I entered the bathroom and I didn't like what I saw.  The toilet was a monster, a hideous monster covered in distasteful smudges and poisonous stains.  I was ready to run away.  Luckily, all I had to do was piss and I wouldn't have to touch the toilet seat.

After I finished relieving myself, I looked down at the sad-looking toilet.  I could have decided to leave the toilet as dirty as it was and just walk away.  After all, that is what the person before me had done.

But I didn't.

I grabbed a handful of toilet paper and started to wipe away the filth that covered the toilet.  I honestly hoped that I was using enough toilet paper, because I didn't want my hand to touch the dirty toilet seat.  After wiping, wiping, and more wiping the toilet was impressively clean and I had graduated from the position of instantaneous janitor.

Wow, that looks much better, I thought.

The toilet was no longer a hideous, ugly monster, but the safe haven for nature-calling that it was meant to be.

I opened the door and there was a handsome man waiting to use the bathroom.  He was an attractive, fit white gentleman somewhere in his mid or late 30's.  I smiled at him and he smiled at me.  The man walked past me and into the bathroom that I had exited.

I walked over to my friend.

"Ready to go?" he asked me.

I replied with a yes. 

Side by side, we continued to walk along Huntington Beach. 

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This simple story has a simple point:  The little things do matter. 

More pics taken that day.  It was freezing as I walked the boardwalk.

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Me

Here's a random pic of me.

My sister gave me this haircut a year ago.

I thought I'd do something different and try it out. 

I kinda miss it haha.

August 17, 2010

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White-Sand Beach

Here's a collecton of pictures that I've taken over the years at the same beach where me and my family built the wall of sand (read my previous post  The Giant Wave). 

I'll add more pictures to this post as I take more pictures at this beach. 
It's one of my favorite places to take photos : )



In the far distance - about 200 meters from where I am - is where we built the wall of sand.



 

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The Giant Wave

My dad is a veteran fisherman and enjoys going on day-long fishing trips to his favorite beaches.  When me and my siblings were kids - I have an older brother, an older sister, and a younger brother - he would often bring us along.   These fishing trips were simply fun.  No stress involved.  Just pack a cooler full of snacks and drinks and we were good to go.  This is the story of what happened at the beach one day...


Our troubles were melting away.

My dad was leisurely fishing on the beach as us kids played to our hearts' content.  The four of us ran lightly through the sand, carefree and wild with jubilation.  We had conquered the deserted stretch of beach and we ruled the land. 

The waves were particularly strong on this day.  They roared and taunted us, daring us to get a little wet and a little messy.  We graciously accepted the challenge and began to build a wall of sand near the water's edge.  Our wish was to shut out the waves, hold them hostage in the sea, and prevent them from reaching beyond our barricade.

The waves, however, were enraged by our intentions and refused to be held by prison walls. They began to unleash unforgiving power on to our wall.  The water boiled in the ocean, shot like fireballs onto the shore, and hurdled into our blockade.  We felt the ground shaking beneath our feet.  I used to be scared of the waters at times like these; they looked ready to eat me alive.

The four of us became comrades in this battle against the sea.  We frantically assembled a much-needed defense.  My older brother and I vigorously threw sand into heaping piles.  My sister and younger brother swiftly patted down the sand and shaped the blockade into a solid, shielding C-shape.  We had to hurry; the tide was quickly rising.

The waves had rapidly evolved into ghastly, terrorizing monsters.  They lurked in the sea before rushing forward to swallow our wall.  The waves devoured chunks at a time and greedily came back to gobble more.  The blockade was hopelessly falling victim to the brutality.

My siblings and I were struggling to keep the wall up. 

Out of the corner of my eye I saw my dad walking toward us, carrying his fishing gear and smiling.  I thought he would laugh at us and keep walking in search of fish.  Suddenly - to our shock and delight! - my dad abandoned his fishing gear, ran over, and started to help us build the wall. 

A smile spread across my face.

The five of us did our best to keep the wall up, but eventually a giant wave came and demolished the whole thing.  Our clothes were soaked with water and covered with sand.  The battle had been fun and entertaining though and we laughed like hyenas afterwards.  The five of us had lost the fight, but we had each other and that was all that seemed to matter in the world.

"C'mon guys!  Let's go home," my dad said with a smile.
Together we headed home as the sleepy sun began to set.

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Welcome Welcome Welcome!

So here I am. 

I've blogged a handful of times before and now I'm looking to settle down.  This website looks awesome!

My goal:  To become more comfortable with who I am.
There are a couple things that I feel insecure about, one of them being my sexuality. Admitting to myself that I'm gay has been a struggle I must admit.

Taking in the sunshine on a deserted beach

I'm usually the keep-to-himself guy but lately the idea of becoming more comfortable with who I am and opening myself to others has grown on me.

So here I am.  Cheers : )