Short Story

Getting Kookie On The Beach

Written for Six Sentence Story where Denise
encourages us to get creative in just six sentences
incorporating the word ā€œengagementā€. Hereā€™s my six.

The idea of my parents chaperoning me to the beach that night was mortifying but I figured I had to suck it up if there was a ghost of a chance of having any fun during this vacation in Surf City, so that night my mother, father and I went for a stroll on the beach, me hanging back about ten feet or so hoping the cool bonfire kids would think I was by myself; music was playing and marshmallows were roasting on long sticks ā€¦. everyone was tan and blonde and beautiful ā€¦. and thatā€™s when I saw him ā€¦. he looked just like Edd ā€˜Kookieā€™ Byrnes from ā€™77 Sunset Stripā€™  and when he glanced up as we walked by and smiled, I fell hopelessly in love. 

Thankfully, my parents quietly observed the group without their usual compulsion to make conversation and, satisfied what they saw wasnā€™t a remake of ā€œReefer Madnessā€, sat for a while high on a dune delighting in the reflection of the moon on the water; when it was time to go, the three of us walked back to the beach house ā€¦. but not before I had a chance to look over my shoulder and giveĀ EddĀ a little wave; he grinned and waved back (I was in heaven) and I knew I had to go to the next bonfire ā€“ alone.Ā 

I guess being out in the sun all day must have fried my parentā€™s brains because, when I nonchalantly asked them the next night if I could walk down to the bonfire by myself for a little while, they actually agreed; all I could think about was seeing Edd again and how relieved I felt that my older sister considered herself ā€œtoo mature for a teeny-bopper beach partyā€ and didnā€™t want to tag along.

The group was friendly and waved me over so, as casually as possible, I headed straight forĀ EddĀ and sat down next to him and someone handed me a cold beer ā€¦. my first ever .ā€¦ which I liked quite a bit; the kids were intoĀ Jan and Dean andĀ The Beach Boys ā€¦. I was aĀ BeatlesĀ girl but I wasnā€™t going to let that get in the way ā€¦. and by the end of the night,Ā EddĀ and I were holding hands and agreed to meet again the following night.Ā 

That was the most blissful week of my young life ā€¦. lots of kissing and petting ā€¦. professions of love ā€¦. an ā€œengagement ringā€ fashioned from a Bud Lite pull tab ā€¦. but we didnā€™t go beyond 2nd base; in all my 16 years, Iā€™d never been as happy or excited to be with someone as I was with Edd.

At the end of the week we exchanged phone numbers and promised to call each other but that didnā€™t happened and itā€™s ok ā€¦. I never really thought it would …. I’m content with the memory; one thing I’m sure of is none of my friends will ever be able to say they spent a week making out on the beach with Edd ā€˜Kookieā€™ Byrnes.

NARĀ©2024


This is a really awful song called ā€œLike, I Love Youā€ by Edd ā€˜Kookieā€™ Byrnes and Joanie Sommers.

Hereā€™s the theme song for the TV show,  ā€œ77 Sunset Stripā€.

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