Salty. Fresh. Fishy.

These three scents triggered my memory of the beach. How the golden sand tickled the underside of my feet as I strode along the glittering beach.

I came to a halt and turned my eyes towards the direction of the vast, blue ocean. I squint, absorbing the colorful colors of the sky and ocean into my eyes.

The streaks of fiery orange, red, and yellow, with a sugar plum violet, painted across the sky like an artist painting his canvas. The different shades of blues of the ocean, from light cyan to midnight blue.

The salty smell of the ocean along with the fresh breeze blowing tickled my nose hairs, making me crinkle my nose, and letting out a loud sneeze.

I walked towards my red beach chair, slowly sat down, and picked up my fishing rod. Not a second after, the string tugs, signing the bait has been bitten. I pulled and furiously turned the fishing rod,  jerking it right and left, until I saw the fish.

It was a beautiful swordfish. The body of royal blue and cloudy white. Its magnificent body trying to get free, but I fought back, reeling it in. As it swam to the edge where the sand and ocean meet, I picked up the magnificent fish.

It weighed 15 lbs, body smooth and silky, trying to fight and escape. What I didn’t notice as it had leaped around in the ocean, was the big, gray mark on the right side of its body. The shape resembles a top hat. You must be one classy swordfish, I thought in my head. I held it tightly in my arms and removed the hook from its mouth.

I walked into the cool ocean, feeling the smooth seaweed dance around my shins, and little fish swimming around, curious of what this gigantic, fleshy thing is doing in their waters.

I kneel down, setting the swordfish onto a good position, about to let it swim free once again.

“How about we give you a name first before you go?”

The swordfish looks at me in the eyes, curious yet annoyed, as if asking me, Seriously dude? I have to go back to the ocean and meet up with this cute swordfish lady who I asked out on a date.

I could’ve sworn it frowned.

I laughed, “Alright, alright. Your name shall be Simon the swordfish. Goodbye Simon, be free!”

I let go, watching him cut through the water at amazing speeds with his sword-like nose. I guess that’s why they’re called swordfish, I thought to myself.

I made a friend that day, and I hope to meet him again in the future. Although I know that would not be possible, it’s one of my small hopes that appear in my dreams at night, as I sleep in bed, the smell of ocean filling my room.

5 years later, I am now 32 years old. I was resting peacefully on the same red beach chair I had 5 years before. I was awoken to the sound of splashing. I opened my eyes, peering into the ocean, and that’s when I saw it.

A swordfish. With a gray top hat on the right side of its smooth body, leaping in the air. I smiled widely, my face creating sun wrinkles around my eyes, as I have met my old friend once again.

“Nice to see you again, Simon.”