The Groatie Buckie

Moureen Leitch

"See how many Groatie Buckie's you can find." Oh the memories of summer days spent on Portormin beach. Granny in the village baking scones, Granda out in the bay salmon fishing, and me on Portormin looking for groatie buckies.

My Auntie Hazel could always find the groatie but they always remained elusive to me that is until two week's ago.

Mam, Auntie Hazel, and me went once again back down to Portormin beach. More than 40yrs have passed since those care free summer days. The innocent wee girl has grown up into a battle scarred mature woman but just for a few hours I can pretend to be 10 again. Mam sits on a rock looking out to sea. What memories are crowding in on her? Auntie Hazel is shouting "watch where you put your feet". Great dollops of "black gold" lieng among the rocks washed in from the Beatrice field. Too late thick black oil ozes over my tan leather shoes.

Suddenly Hazel calls me over "look Mo" I bend down and there they are not one but two groatie buckies. We sit on the beach each lost in our own thought's time to go home.

For Mam and Auntie Hazel.