Exhausted, dehydrated and sunburnt, they let the tide sweep them in for the final nautical mile.
They slouched on their recliners and held hands.
‘We made it,’ he said, ‘I told you we could.’
‘Four months on this contraption. Next year, let’s have a walking holiday,’ she replied.
On the shore, the gathered crowd awaited – the media, family, friends and interested spectators.
The journey of the couple attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean on their sunbathing recliners had captured the imagination of the world.
It had started by accident when the tide and wind had blown them out from Blackpool Pleasure Beach, England. Now they approached Boston Harbour, USA.
Terry Roberts, owner of ‘Pleasure Beach Recliners for Hire’ stood amongst the crowd. He had flown over the day before.
The recliners bumped onto the jetty, family and medical staff rushed forward. As the exhausted couple were helped through the media scrum, Terry saw his chance.
He waved the bill in their faces: ‘£10 for every 15 minutes,’ he explained, ‘that’s £432,000 you owe.’
The bedraggled couple stared at him dumbly, Terry pressed on.
‘Plus a £20 late return fee.’
Written as part of Sunday Photo Fiction. Write a story of around 200 words based on the photo prompt given (above). Hosted by Susan Spaulding. For more details visit HERE.
To read more of the stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Ouch!
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I hope they have some savings.
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They can write a book and sell the film rights!
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Reblogged this on crjen1958 and commented:
Another day at the beach?
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Thanks for the reblog.
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No problem…
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Damn, just for but a moment, you really had me going…
cheers
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It does sound so silly it could really happen!
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💡🐸🐸
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Like the take, but what a bastard! He would have got more from the publicity of being the owner of a recliner with such resilience! Good one Iain. 🙂
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I’m sure he’ll try and cash in on that too 😉
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Haha!
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Haha…. Hilarious take. Super cool.
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Glad you liked it 🙂
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Great story Iain. If Terry received his ill-gotten gains, he must have blown them … I’m pretty sure he now works at my local council’s Foreshores office.
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Haha, yes we’ve all met someone like Terry!
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Very humorous. Loved this smart piece of writing.
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Thanks Neel
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Pity they didn’t just make do with a donkey ride on Blackpool Pleasure Beach!
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In hindsight yes, although getting a donkey to swim the Atlantic would be tricky 😉
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You stretched credulity to trans-Atlantic limits here, Iain!
Nice one
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I’m sure Terry would just point at the sign on his hut clearly showing the price of hiring a floating recliner and shrug.
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It’s just business.
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Absolutely. They agreed to the hire price.
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Life is a beach…indeed!
(I almost spit my morning coffee out my nose, reading this!)
😉
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Thanks Liz, glad you enjoyed 🙂
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LOL I almost thought it was an Archie and Agnes adventure. Can you imagine the two of them on that little thing for four months? Nicely done again, Iain.
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It could well have been them, but perhaps in their youth, a couple of decades ago! Thanks Janet!
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Can someone please push Terry in the drink? I don’t care if he can’t swim. Hell be demanding the cost of his flight and accommodation next.
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Ha, he may put that in as a recovery charge for getting the floating recliner back!
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Terry should have followed them with a camera. He would have made more money selling the video.
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He might write the film screenplay!
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🙂
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Nice fiction. Great twist at the end. I think they should sue the owner / renter of raft for being blown away. Why did he not go searching and what right he has to charge them for late payment.
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Thank you – I get the feeling Terry doesn’t care too much about his work, until there’s money to be made!
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that must have hurt them terribly!
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Cool tale, but the logic part of my brain immediately asked what they ate and drank for four months. 😸 But that rental guy, Terry, is a right idiot. He could have made so much money if he had congratulated them and emphasized to the press the quality of the beach recliners he carried..He had to be an arse, instead.
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You are right Barb, as this was a lighter piece I deliberately ignored the real world logistics involved – perhaps they had a support boat with them once they decided to keep going across the ocean!
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Not a happy ending to their adventure when the bill was shoved onto their face. they can extricate themselves by writing a book of their journey.
https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.com/2018/09/holiday.html
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Absolutely – I get the feeling it will end up in the courts!
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Oh man! XD
Brilliantly funny! 😀
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Thank you 🙂
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I do wonder if will they be allowed to set foot in the USA under new immigration rules. 😉
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A very valid point Michael – they didn’t bring passports or visas for a start!
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four months is a way long.. and their next expedition is by walk.. wonder how adventurous it would be. gosh! the bill! plus the mean late fee..
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There are some who do crazy things like this!
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I felt that one coming. The late fee was the icing on the cake. Nicely done, Iain.
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Thanks Susan 🙂
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Ha ha ha, not to forget that they’ll now be classified as illegal immigrants and jailed in America for traveling without their passports 🙂
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I’m surprised they were allowed to land!
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