Have you ever seen a complete stranger and suddenly felt drawn to them, a person with whom you seem to have an immediate affinity? You look at them and it feels like you've known them before then but know you have not. It was just such a day for me. I had been divorced for a few years and even though I had been dating no one had been able to hold my attention. They all seemed to want or need things I couldn't give them. I had recently decided to lay of dating for a while as it seemed to wear on me a bit.
It was a Friday in early June and I had taken the day with the idea of going to the beach. I had to run a few errands first and that's what I was about when I first laid eyes on her. The sight of her made me slow down a bit. She was tallish, I'd guessed about five nine or ten with auburn hair and when I finally saw them, green eyes. She was carrying around a few extra pounds but I like that in a woman. As happens to me on such occasions I tried desperately to think of something to say or do to gain her attention and thereby meet her. Nothing was coming to mind and I was ready to concede that she's pass me on the city street and I'd never see her again.
Just as she was passing me I heard, "Excuse me." To me delight she wanted something of me.
"Yes." I quickly responded.
"Do you know where the Au Bon Pain is?" In my area that's an upscale coffee shop and sandwich shop.
"Yes, it's one block that way and back a block." I said pointing in the general direction. "I happen to be going there so I'd be more than happy to show." It was a lie but in as much as I really liked that particular coffee shop I could make a minor alteration to my plans.
"I'd like that very much, thank you." She said smiling at my. "My name is Emily by the way."
"Pleased to meet you Emily, I'm Harry."
"I was supposed to meet someone there but I'm so late I'm afraid I've missed her already. My train was late getting into town and you know how that goes." With that we moved quickly in the direction of the coffee shop. Emily was a chatty sort of woman, something that I liked. "I called her cell but didn't get an answer."
"Well, maybe she waited and is there now, right?"
Emily smiled at my optimism and replied, "Of course!"
I couldn't hold back any longer with my thoughts and said, "When I first saw you on the street I could have sworn I knew you from somewhere but I've never known an Emily so that can't be true."
"You did huh? What made you feel that?"
"I don't know, just a feeling I had."
"I get those feelings to. Doesn't it just drive you crazy sometimes?
"Any time it happens it drives me crazy but I almost never get to find out. I mean, how do you say don't I know you to an otherwise complete stranger? I always feel like they'll think I'm some sort of letch or creep or something."
"You shouldn't let the bother you. So Harry, what do you do for work?"
"I'm a radar engineer, satellite tracking and such."
"Sounds fascinating."
"Well, it's pretty boring actually. You sit around a lot waiting for something to happen." Wanting to change the subject I asked her, "And what do you do."
"I teach 8th graders on the south shore."
"Oh, I feel for you. That's a hard age."
"Most of 'em are pretty good kids so it's not so bad." As she said this we arrived at the coffee shop and went inside. "Hmm, no Carol. I'll bet she's been here and left already."
"What were you meeting her for if you don't mind my asking."
"Oh, we were just going to do some shopping at Lord & Taylor and some other places."
"Well, why don't we get some coffee, maybe she'll come back to see if you're here."
"That sounds like a good idea."
We got of coffees and found a table near the window so we could easily see Carol if and when she came. I was secretly hoping she'd be a no show. We sat there for almost half a hour talking about our work, our families and our friends, the usual get to know you stuff. Emily did most of the talking and that suited me just fine. I got to look into her gorgeous eyes and also look over the rest of her as well as much as I could. From our conversation I found out that she was 28 and had never been married. I was really surprised at that fact and told her so. She said that it was a simple case of not having found the right guy.
Finally I said, "I don't think Carol's coming."
"No, I think you're right."
"Well, I was going to the beach today and you're more than welcome to join me if you'd like." I didn't hold out much hope for her saying yes to me considering we'd had just met and she really didn't know me yet.
"I'd love to but I don't have a bathing suit with me."
"Oh yeah, minor detail huh?" I felt a little silly for not having considered that.
"But I'd still love to go and lay out in the sun, do you mind?" Did I mind? I wanted to say you've got to be kidding but opted for saying, "I'd be a pleasure to have you come. I usually go alone and while I am very contented to sit on the beach and read my book I much prefer to have company. My car's parked pretty close to here so what do you say we get going?"
Emily agreed and then asked, "By the way, where are we going?"
"Plum Island, it's my favorite."
"I haven't been there in years." She replied, "It used to be one of my favorites."