Okoshiki Coast A Navel Orange in Both Hands, Sand Ripples at Sunset I Couldn’t Leave Behind

At winter dusk, I made my way to the lookout over Okoshiki Coast. Curving lines stretched across the beach where the tide had gone out. At first I watched the ones nearby, but before I knew it, my eyes were following them all the way into the distance.

I cradled the Oda navel orange I’d brought against my chest in both hands. It was meant to be a snack to enjoy while taking in this view. I’d been looking forward to eating it, but when I looked from the orange back to the sea, I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

The curves across the tidal flats seemed to repeat, but look closely and no two neighboring lines were quite alike. I thought I’d followed one to the edge, then spotted another beyond it. My hands stayed wrapped around the orange while my eyes kept roaming over the shore.

I lowered my eyes to the orange, thinking I should start eating. But then I turned toward the sunset and got caught up in the view all over again. I wanted to eat it, but I didn’t want to miss a moment of that scene. Neither feeling would budge.

Had I ever held a fruit this long without taking a bite? I’d been eager to eat it, but now I was more reluctant to let this view end. I gently shifted the orange in my hands and decided to watch the tidal flats just a little longer.

Even after sunset, I could still make out the lines across the tidal flats. Before leaving, I followed them into the distance with my eyes one last time. I’d eat the Oda navel orange after that. First, I wanted to take in the view I’d most wanted to see that day.