The sea rushed and churned around our feet, seething over hungry, expectant rock pools. I loved the sea, and would spent many an hour sitting on the rocks just staring at the waves roll in endlessly, at least until a little hand tugged at me for attention.
"You know I used to live by the sea, Aaron?"
I looked up, startled, suddenly remembering where I was.
"Oh? Er, no I didn't. Where was that?"
"Rye, in Kent."
"That's a lovely part of the world."
Amy nodded.
"We had a dog called Goober that we used to take walking along Camber Sands. He was a complete nutter - used to try and bite the waves." She paused. "He got run over."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"It was a long time ago," she replied, then asked, "Do you think pets end up in a place like this?"
I shrugged. In the past I might have scoffed at such sentimental nonsense - dust to dust, man and beast alike - but now I wasn't quite so sure.
"You know," she continued, "I'm surprised it is not busier."
"It's the weather I suppose," I replied, "Not much fun sun bathing in the rain."
"Not there, dummy. Here, where we are."
"Oh?"
"Yes, I mean, with billions and billions of people dying through the ages, where is everybody?"
I chuckled. Where indeed?
She looked at me. "What's so funny?"
"Look who's asking silly questions now, Einstein!"
She poked me in the ribs. So to speak.
