Though it’s been a rare Friday Fictioneers I’ve missed (two, I think), there’s always mixed emotions when Friday rolls around. One is joy–it’s Friday, and I’ll get to read Fictioneers’ stories. The other is sometimes terror–it’s Friday, and I haven’t written a word! Fortunately, this is a joyful week because I got inspired as soon as I saw today’s picture.

This week’s photo brought back fond memories of the various beaches I’ve walked–in the U.S. (both coasts and Hawaii, five of the islands), in Mexico, and in Europe. I’ve collected shells and beach glass from all those places and have them in a large candle holder in my bathroom. Each one has a good memory attached to it, despite the fact that I’m no longer with the person who walked those beaches with me. It’s bittersweet to look at them, and it makes me nostalgic for the man he was, but I won’t shut them away.

So, I went for the bittersweet this week, the ultimate story of unrequited love, entitled “Down by the Sea Shore.”

Yeah, I’m getting sentimental in my old age.

To read other Friday Fictioneers stories–or to add your own–click on the little frog-like icon at the bottom of the story. If you don’t see the link on the story title above, hover your cursor over the Friday Fictioneers’ tab at the top of the page and select it from the drop-down list.