The Old Codger went down to the waters edge and stood in the shallow water wriggling his toes in the sand. The Taylor twins were running into the sea and jumping over the smallest waves. When they saw him they shouted over, “Oh Mr. Curmudgeon, come in, it’s lovely”.

The Old Codger thought the waves they were jumping over were too small and he would show them what jumping over a real wave was like. So he took a long run up and ploughed through the small breakers heading out for the deeper water. On its way in was the seventh wave of seven, much bigger than the rest, with white spray licking its lips. As it neared him the Old Codger jumped up to keep his head above the water but it thumped into his chest and knocked him backwards. The wave broke on top of him and he was tumbled over and over like a bundle of clothes in a washing machine. When it stopped he was left a long way up the beach on his back with his legs over his head. The Taylor twins rushed over as he sat up. “Oh Mr. Curmudgeon what brilliant fun”.

The Old Codger was still winded from the rough and tumble handed out by the wave and did not think it was such brilliant fun. “Hhrrmmph”, he said, “you little squirts want to be careful in such rough seas”. “Oh we will be”, they said as they skipped off back into the shallows to jump over their little waves”.

The Old Codger went back to his fortress and lay down. After a snooze he felt better, although he could feel a tingle on his shiney pate where the sun had shone down on it. He looked around for something to do. He could see donkey rides taking place down by the shore, but he did not like donkeys, and they did not like him, they always snarled and hissed at him when he went near.

Up near the promenade he could see the brightly coloured tent of the Punch and Judy show, and in front of it a crowd of people sat on the sand waiting for it to start. Now this was more like it, the Old Codger liked Punch and Judy shows. He went over and stood at the back of the crowd and scratched at his head which was now beginning to itch.