We recently took the family down to Florida for vacation.

Now, me and my son have a job on these trips. We're the canopy crew.

Up at 7:30. Down to the sand by 8:00. Get the canopy staked, chairs out, cooler in the shade, and claim a decent spot before the whole world wakes up.

We don't take much. Enough room for our people and that's it.

Then I go back up, eat some breakfast, and come back down around 9:00. The rest of the family rolls in a little after 10:00.

That's the system. It works.

This particular day, the beach was packed. Shoulder to shoulder. People circling like sharks looking for a place to put a towel down.

Right Next to us, somebody not only set up and marked their spot but took up a substantial amount of the beach in doing so.

Three canopies. Eight or nine chairs. A table. Coolers. Enough real estate for a small wedding.

But for the longest time, nobody showed up.

Not at 10:00. Not at noon. Not at 2:00.

That family finally strolled down at 3:30 in the afternoon.

3:30!

I counted at least seven families that walked past that spot, looked at all that empty shade, and kept walking because there was nowhere to sit.

So I stood up. I was going to go have a real friendly conversation with the fella leading that group.

My family shut it down immediately.

My son says there's no rule about it. My daughter-in-law says it's not worth ruining vacation over. My granddaughter told me I was "being a lot."

Fine. I sat back down.

But I'll say this. There may not be a rule, but there sure as hell is such a thing as common decency.

You don't stake out half a beach at sunrise and then show up in time for happy hour.

On the ride back to the condo I was still going on about it.

My wife finally looked over and said, "Buck, you got up at 7:30 to claim a spot too. You just have less stuff."

I didn't have a comeback for that one.

I'm still right, though.

What would y'all have done? Say something, or let it go?

Enjoy your Sunday!

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“Not the field you're looking for"

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