A casual beach conversation at Seaside, Oregon
By Tom Adkinson
August 27, 2021

Sand sculptures on beach at Seaside, Oregon; image by Tom Adkinson

The setting: Along the century-old promenade in Seaside, Oregon, a coastal resort town 80 miles northwest of Portland. A weathered, taciturn sand sculptor of indeterminate age sits on a beach chair next to a sculpture of a wounded soldier and a medic. A short conversation ensues with a passerby on the other side of the promenade railing.

Passerby: That’s nice work.

Sculptor: Thanks.

Passerby: How much time do you have invested in it?

Sculptor: Much of yesterday. Some of today.

Passerby: Are you from here?

Sculptor: Nope. I’m from lots of places.

Passerby: I’m from Tennessee.

Sculptor: I was a military brat.

Passerby: May I take your picture?

Sculptor: If you want.

Passerby, dropping a few bills into a bucket the sculptor has attached to the railing with duct tape: Gotta go. I need to catch up with my friends. Take care of yourself.

Sculptor: Thank you for supporting the arts.