Luca Stettler

10/19/2023

English 100

Morgan Andaluz

The 4 Stooges and the Start of Something Wonderful

We found ourselves in a secluded sandy corner of a small beach wedged

between lava rock and Kiawe trees, beneath a broken canopy tent held up by small

sticks. The ground was a minefield of Kiawe thorns bound to make you shout “Oh fuck!”

as your poor foot was pierced. Burning in a hole in the sand was our fire fueled by wood

and aluminum wrapped green “Funky Flames” that emitted a very questionable aroma.

The sky was emblazoned with vibrant pinks and oranges, casting an equally vibrant

glow on the ocean as it turned dark. Across the water stood the distant flashing light on

Molokini, a faint beacon in the coming night.

The tide crept dangerously close to the fire, and the brisk October wind would be

making sleep nearly impossible in the coming hours. Only our voices and the soft sound

of waves broke the silence on the empty beach which though short, seemed to stretch

infinitely into darkness. A realm once familiar by daylight, now lost to the night. We sat

around the fire under our flimsy mess of a shelter in this place where we forgot what day

it was, but couldn’t be bothered to care. Here and now was all that mattered, for this

was no ordinary beach; this was Changs, a beach we would forever return to - a plateau

of tranquility untouched by the hands of time.

At the pinnacle of sunset, sitting under our jury-rigged canopy, my companions,

Josef, Maddox, and Hunter, and I were ready for what would become our cherished
tradition. As the last glimmers of daylight vanished, we shared tales of our recent lives.

Hunter recounted his experiences at school, a world far removed from our own. He

spoke of shop class, Japanese lessons, and the assorted dramas that unfolded in a “big

school”. “Some bathrooms are best left unvisited,” he said, and we, the rest of us,

listened with our full attention as we were awed by such stories.

We teased Maddox about his romantic endeavors, asking, “So, Maddox, any

updates?” in a juvenile tone much too young for us to still be using. He replied with an

unenthusiastic no, but we kept prodding until he admitted that there really was no one

and we knew he was serious.

By now the darkness had enveloped us completely, and the water had never

looked so inviting. “Anyone up for a swim?” I suggested, and without a word we all

sprang up and raced toward the water. As we splashed in, we immediately stood up

shivering. “Shit! It’s cold!” Josef shouted, and we all chuckled. After some time

acclimating to the frigid water, we simply floated in silence admiring the night sky. With

no light pollution, the sky sparkled with stars brighter than the full moon. After an

eternity under the stars, Maddox abruptly stood up in the water, “Guys, look at this.” he

exclaimed, and we found ourselves splashing around in the water, which was filled with

tiny, glowing specks - an incredible display of bioluminescence.

We spent what felt like hours playing with the glowing water before embarking on

a rocky path to the neighboring beach. Walking along the shore, our feet dipped into the

water, and we talked and laughed as we went. Suddenly a crab darted across the sand

before us, and Maddox jolted to capture it. After a brief chase, he had it in his hand, and

we all chanted, “Kiss it! Kiss it! Kiss it!” Ignoring all past experiences involving us
chanting at him, Maddox slowly touched his lips to the crab, which promptly pinched

him. We bursted out in laughter as he cried out, “Crap!” and tossed the crab aside.

Ten minutes later, we were back under the canopy huddled around the fire. I

complained, “It’s so cold.” and Maddox quipped, “I can help warm you up,” grinning

mischievously. Simultaneously, Josef, Hunter, and I erupted into laughter, crying,

“Maddox, no!” as we shook our heads expressing our disappointment in his remark,

provoking even more laughter. Maddox’s jest prompted Josef to launch a series of

revolting “would you rather” questions, each more vile than the last.

After lots of laughter and a plethora of “suck my balls” declarations, we began to

settle down. As the fire crackled, we inched closer, desperate for warmth. We had

severely underpacked, but the cold became an afterthought because now, we were

singing. We sang “Sometimes I feel like I don’t have a partner. Sometimes I feel like I’m

all alone,” and “I don’t practice santeria, I ain’t got no crystal ball,” with extra emphasis

on the “ball” part. In any other situation, I would have never sang out loud, but this was

our spot, a place away from our loves where we could truly be ourselves.

As we sang and laughed, I looked around at my amazing friends. Josef, with his

long brown hair dancing around, and I thought “He looks like Jesus. If Jesus was my

friend”. Hunter sang his heart out, which I loved to see because I didn’t get to see him

as often as the others. And then there was Maddox, belting at the top of his lungs,

radiating pure happiness to be there. As I looked around at them, all I could think was

“These are the moments we live for,” and I knew in that moment that we would always

return to this beach. I knew we would always underpack and endure the cold. I knew

Maddox, Josef, and I would always sing about brothers named Kyle and shiny demons
in the middle of the road, while Hunter watched in discomfort, and I knew that we would

always have a good time.