Thomas was a happy boy. His favorite thing to do was to play with his friends. He and his friends liked to ride bicycles, collect rocks, play tag, watch cartoons, and have sleepovers. Whenever Thomas got to play with his friends, he had a good time.

One day, his parents told him and his older brother Max that they had to move to another state because Dad got a promotion. This made Thomas very sad, because he really liked where he lived, but most of all, because he loved his friends, and he didn’t want to say goodbye to all of them. Max said that he didn’t care, and that he didn’t like anyone here anyway.

When Mom saw that Thomas was sad, she tried to cheer him up.

“Hey sweetie! It won’t be so bad, you’ll make lots of new friends where we’re going. Plus, we’re moving to the beach! You’ve never seen the ocean." 

It’s like a giant pool that’s made by nature, and has tons of waves. And it’s right up against a beach that’s filled with soft sand that you can play with and make castles out of! We’ll go to the beach and play every weekend!”

One month later, it was time to move.   Thomas cried when he said goodbye to his friends, and he was sad the whole way to their new home.   He was sad when they got there, and he was sad when he unpacked his room.

On their second day in their new home, his Mom and Dad told Thomas and Max that they were going to the beach, as promised.   Max didn’t want to go, but Mom told him he could bring his video game, and he said “okaaaay”. 

Thomas wasn’t that excited, but he went without a fuss anyway.   When they finally got to the beach, he discovered he was delighted by everything he saw!   The soft sand, the splendid seashells, the sparkly surf, the silly seagulls, the shining sun.   But most of all, he was excited to see the sand castles someone had left behind.

He went straight to the part of the beach where the sand is a little wet, perfect for digging and making castles.   He decided he was going to make the biggest sand castle the beach had ever seen.   First he dug a moat.   Then he started scooping sand into his bucket, and made four walls that would protect the castle.   Then he stacked towers in the center.   It was really coming together!   Max stayed under an umbrella and played his video game.

At the end of the day, Thomas was really proud of his sandcastle.   He had even made a sand village surrounding it.   And a bridge that went over the moat.   Mom said that it really was a spectacular sandcastle.   Dad said he might have a future as an architect, or a city planner.  

“Just wait!”   said Thomas, “Next week I’m going to make it even bigger!   I’m gonna add a stable with sandhorses, and a sand army to protect the castle from a sand dragon.   There will be a sand playground for all the sand kids of the village to play in!”

“Little bro, all of that will be gone by tomorrow,” said Max. “The high tide comes every night and wipes the whole beach out.” 

“Nuh Uh!” said Thomas.   You’re just saying that to be mean.”

Max shrugged, and went back to playing his video game.

All night, Thomas wondered if Max was telling the truth.   The next day, Thomas begged his Mom to take him to the beach.   Mom said she was too busy, but she said Max would take him.   

Max complained about having to waste his Saturday at the beach, but Mom said that she would buy him a new video game and Max agreed.

Thomas and Max got to the beach, and Thomas raced to where his sand castle had been.   To his horror, everything had been ruined.   Even the tallest tower was just a lumpy mound.   He yelled and kicked the sand and his eyes teared up a little.   He was still upset when he got back to the umbrella where Max was playing his video game.   All Max said was, “hate to say I told you so little bro.”

For the next hour, the two of them sat under the umbrella.   Max played his video game, and Thomas just sat there, mad and sad that his sandcastles would never last.   Max noticed that Thomas was looking mad and sad, and he felt bad.   He wanted to say something to cheer Thomas up.   “Hey!” said Max.   “Look over there!   There is a girl playing on the beach!   Maybe you could go and ask if she wants to play.   She could be your new friend.”