We all packed into Mendel's Volkswagen to start our long trip to the beach. We would drive about 2 and a half hours to reach a small beach near my grandparents house. I sat in between Whizzer and my dad with my mother and Mendel in the front seat. Whizzer thumbed through a fashion magazine occasionally asking me if I liked different strange sounding colors. My father looked out the window and called out different out of state license plates. The ride was slow yet very fun.
"Smile Jason." My mother called as she turned and snapped a picture of me in the backseat. Whizzer laughed and smiled asking if she could take one of him. This trip was very special to me and I didn't know it at the time but it was the last time we'd all hang out as a family. Whizzer would get sick not two months after this and die only a few after that. But for now he smiled his big and carefree smile and joked about how he would beat my dad in beach volleyball ball. We all laughed and joked while listening to music. Everyone was ecstatic and when we finally arrived at the sun soaked beach I practically through myself out of the car. I ran into the calm water.
We spent the majority of the day splashing in the cold water. Whizzer had me on his shoulders and chicken fought with my mom and Mendel. I swam until sun stained my cheeks and shoulders. Whizzer and my father set up lawn chairs and sat holding hands and watching the ocean. That's one of the things I remember vividly. They both looked so happy. Later into the evening Mendel started a fire and we all cooked hotdogs. The bright sun disappeared into the horizon and we all watched it. My mother took so many photos to fill our new album. As I stood next to my two new families I realized how lucky I was to have them all in my life.
