When he was bored of lying down he sat up and his glasses fell into the sand. Now his empty bit of beach was not so empty because lots of people had settled down around him. The Old Codger did not like crowds and when a middle-aged couple looked like they might sit near him he gave them a scowl as deep as the Grand Canyon which sent them on their way. To prevent any further invasions he pulled his bucket and spade from his bag and started digging. A sandcastle or two was not his aim he was building Curmudgeon’s Wall, a huge excavation with ditch and ramparts completely ringing his encampment. It was not pretty, others might have put towers and battlements to smarten it up, but all the Old Codger was interested in was bulk. When he had finished the Old Codger was tired and he lay back down and rested his sunglasses on his face.

He was stirred from his reverie by two shrill voices. “Mr. Curmudgeon, what a great sandcastle”. It was the Taylor twins, Tammy and Tommy, peering over the wall. The Old Codger thought they might have been locked up for setting off the fire alarm, but here they were to annoy him. “Hhrrmph”, the Old Codger spluttered, “it’s to keep pesky kids away”. “Come on Tommy”, said Tammy, “let’s build one”.

The two of them started to build a castle nearby. It was a traditional design with turrets, towers a moat and a bridge, and easily put the Old Codger’s to shame. He thought it too fancy and when the twins went down to the sea for a swim he emerged from behind his wall, took a run up at it and jumped straight into the middle of their sandcastle knocking down the walls and scattering the towers.

The Old Codger was feeling quite pleased with himself and was getting into the holiday spirit. People were splashing about in the sea and it looked cool and refreshing after all his exertions. He put on his shorts, took off his shirt and pulled out his rubber ring. It was a large ring and took a lot of puffing to blow up. He pulled it over his head and struggled to get his arms through the hole. The ring was round his chest but he could not push it any lower because his bulging stomach got in the way. People nearby smiled at the sight of him because he looked like a pink and wobbly spamburger.