The Gold Coast

by C. A. Green

 

    Angus reached down into the Irish Sea, cupping his hands as he splashed the cool, refreshing water on his face. He noticed his reflection in the water. His once dark hair has since turned white, and the creases deepened in his weathered face as each year passed. While reaching for another handful of water, he felt a hard object. He brushed away the sand and revealed a gold coin. Each crashing wave exposed more gold coins that sparkled in the sun like diamonds. Angus wondered where they came from as he reached down to retrieve them. He removed his tweed hat and filled it with coins. They dropped to the ground as he struggled to race back to his cottage, stopping numerous times to catch his breath.

    Looking around his tiny cottage, he had to find a hiding place. As he approached the bed to check on his wife, one of the floorboards moved. He reached down and hid his bounty under the loose board.

    “Is that you, Angus?” Molly called out.

    “Yes, it is.”

    “Where have you been?”

   “I went for a walk along the coast; it’s a beautiful fall day. I wish you could have joined me.” “You know that’s not possible; my legs would never carry me that far.”

    “I know things are going to get better; I can feel it.”

    “You are a foolish old man, Angus!”

    He wanted to tell her what he found that morning, but decided to keep it a secret. The coins were safe for now in their hiding place. Angus laid beside his wife and fell asleep, dreaming of all the things they could buy with the gold coins.

    “Angus, Angus!” Molly cried out. He awoke and wondered what was wrong. “The barn is on fire, the animals!”

    Angus pulled on his pants and darted out the door. By then, the fire was raging, and there was nothing he could do to save them. How was he going to harvest his crop, he thought, without the horses or a barn? Instead of his life getting better since he found the gold coins, it’s getting worse. As emotion welled inside him, he rushed back to the cottage.

    “It’s gone; everything is gone!” he shouted. “It’s the gold; I’m sure it has a curse!” I have to get rid of it, he thought. He removed the gold from its hiding place and ran down to the gold coast. Wading into the frigid water up to his hips, he reached back and threw his hat as far as he could throw it. Shivering, he walked home, his knit sweater and tweed pants soaked with sea water.

    Back inside the cottage, he laid his wet clothing by the fire and crawled into bed with Molly to get warm. Now that the gold is back where it came from, Angus hopes their lives will get better soon.

    As the morning sun streamed through the window, Angus opened his eyes. “Good morning, sleepy head,” Molly said as she approached him with a tray of bacon, eggs, orange juice, and a freshly picked flower in a glass. “About time you got up, there are chores to be done in the barn!”

    With a puzzled look, he sat up and gazed out the window as she sat the tray on his lap. He could see the faded red boards, the steel roof, and the weathervane spinning in the wind. He turned his head and saw his favourite tweed hat hanging on the hook by the bed.

    She reached over and kissed him, saying, "It must have been quite a dream you had last night.”

    “Why do you say that?”

    “You were shouting something about gold coins!”

    “Molly O’Riley, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he laughed as he reached for a piece of bacon.