World Enough and Time

for July 29, 2010: Which fictional character (or group of characters) would you like to spend a day at the beach with? Why would he/she/they make good beach buddies?

I don't do beaches. No, really. Not warm ones. I burn easily, and don't like to be in bright sun. I don't like being hot, or surrounded by midges. I hate being immersed in water, particularly cold water. I cruised the Caribbean and never visited a beach, not even once.

I used to enjoy the beach when I was a kid, and I have pictures to prove it. And even then, the fun of beaches was in finding little snails in the sand, and making sand castles. So I don't really know what a beach buddy is, unless it's my parents.

I do like walking on cold, windswept northern beaches. Or reading, though I'd rather do my reading on the deck of a ship or on a boat. So... my idea of a beach buddy is a good book?

Or a friend who will walk with me and discuss good books?

No, really, back to the spirit of the question: I think Lymond (when not stressed out) would be good company anywhere. So, as usual, my answer is Lymond. Or any of the usual suspects: Captain Jack Harkness, Eugenides, anyone or everyone in the Vorkosigan family - with maybe a preference for Ekaterin here.

And I suppose Namor the Sub-Mariner might be interesting, in context, for all his arrogance. Or the more sociable Aquaman. Or - yes, I like this one - Lori Lemaris!