Dinner was alright. Nothing spectacular, but not bad. The bottle of wine was now gone, and after two or so hours of conversation, the night could have ended then and there, and not have been considered a flop.
"Isn't it a full moon tonight?" I ask.
"Um, I don't really know to tell you the truth." You answer not knowing where the conversation is heading.
"C'mon, we gotta go find out!"
"But we still need to pay for..."
But by then I was already standing, and motioning to the waitress.
"Sara, a wonderful evening as always!"
I kiss the waitress on the cheek, and hand her three $100 dollar bills. I lean back towards you and hold out my hand. Your voice has a note of sarcasm when you speak.
"You know, I just did the math in my head, and even with the bottle of wine, you just left over a hundred dollar tip."
"Yeah well, it's only money, and besides, Sara and I go way back. She's a good kid and can use a little help."
You think in your head, "Can't we all!", and grab my hand.
After such a nice evening, you're wondering why I'm dragging you through a restaurant, and out into the parking.
"There! Look!" I exclaim, "It IS a full moon!"
"You are going to become a werewolf or anything are you?" you say with a smile on your face.
"No, not after last time, villagers hunting me down and all.." I smile back. "Have you ever walked on water?" I ask.
"OK, maybe a little too much wine?" You laugh.
"No I'm serious. I'll bet you a second date that I can make you feel like you're walking on water!"
The look on your face is obviously displaying what's going on in your head.
"C'mon I don't mean that and you know it. Seriously, give me twenty minutes, you'll be flying. I promise."
What the hell, you think to yourself, he's been a gentleman all evening, and you agree.
"OK, lets go!" and I grab your hand, pulling you again into the car.
Racing up I-80, thoughts start creeping into your head. Where are we going? What is he thinking about doing? Do I still have that mace in my purse?
"You are so going to love this. I was first brought up here about 20 years ago. It's never the same as the first time, but it's still so cool."
We get off the freeway, and after another 5 minutes up a long, dark, windy road, you slowly reach your hand into your purse, finding that familiar little can you carry for protection.
"There's never anyone around this time of night, otherwise it wouldn't be so interesting."
Yeah interesting, you think, it'll be damn interesting when I empty this mace all over you.
"OK, we're here."
You look out the window and see a very small reservoir, a little bigger than a pond, but still small for a lake or anything. You firmly grasp the can as your car door opens.
"C'mon. It won't hurt."
Damn right, won't hurt me a bit buddy, this has gone just about far enough I think. You step out and are just about to pull the protection out.
"Here you gotta wear a blindfold too."
That's it. Enough is enough. But you figure you'll give me a warning before the spray, when you notice I stop, look into your eyes and ask you, "Do you trust me?"
For some reason that you will never be able to explain, you do. A warm feeling flows through your body and you realize, yes I do trust you. A simple nod of your head is followed by you putting your purse, mace and all, back into the car.
"OK then before we start, I'll explain what's going to happen. After the blindfold, I'm going to lead you over there to that path. We're going to go up 2 stairs. At that point, you will very loudly hear rushing water. We'll be on a bridge that has fencing on either side, so it's safe. Now I can't tell you the rest just yet, but since it will be so loud, I'm going to have to be talking to you with my mouth right by your ear, almost yelling. Now you're going to have to do exactly what I say, or you won't get the full effect. OK?"
You bravely let out an "OK", because even though you feel safe, you body is starting to tremble a bit.
"OK, lets put this blindfold on and get going then!"
The first few steps are no problem, one foot after another. You feel almost as if you are playing some sort of child's game, until you start hearing the sound of rushing water, as if you are getting closer to a waterfall.
"We're at the steps now." I say, my voice noticeably louder. "Nice and easy, and remember there's two here"
Your first foot goes up, blindly looking for something solid to put it on. There, there's the step. You lift your body on to the step, and raise your foot again to take the next.
"Just the one more, then we're on the bridge."
You easily navigate the second step, knowing from the first about the height that the incline would be. Now the sound of the water has become rock concert loud. I lean towards your ear and raise my voice to make sure you can hear me, to let you know that even though I'm holding your hands, I am still here.
"We've got about five more steps, and then I'm going to turn you. I'm going to place your hands on the fence. Then you need to step back as far as you can, still holding on to the fence, then spread your legs. You need to be leaning forward as much as possible to get the full affect. I'm going to take the blindfold off, but don't open your eyes until you hear me yell NOW, Ok?"
You nod your head just a bit. Fear has started to take over your thinking process, believing you should just rip off the blindfold, turn and run. Again though, that warm safe feeling comes over you, and you trust me again.
Exactly five steps are taken then you feel me turn your hands a bit to your right and you follow my lead. I lift your hands to the chain link fence and you grab open slots very firmly. Remembering what I had told you, you move your feet back. You know you could go a little more, but the safety mechanism in your head tells you that's enough. You spread your legs as if being searched by a cop, and then it comes to you that the sound of the water has reached a loudness that is as unnerving as it is exciting now. You are leaning forward so much that it reminds you of the ski jumpers you see during the winter Olympics. You feel my face on the left side of your head.
"Are you ready to walk on water?" I yell.
You nod your head, and feel the blindfold taken off your eyes. You wait to hear my command to open your eyes. It seems an eternity passes before you hear my voice.
"OK, NOW!"
The immediate sensory overload fills your body. The rushing water sound engulfs your ears. You see the moon illuminated dancing white caps of water rushing towards you, only about four feet below you, like the white lines of a road when you're driving way too fast. Your hands grip the fence so tightly that your fingers hurt, and your knees buckle, causing you to start to fall, until I grab you by your waist. It's true. I was right. You feel not only like you are walking on the water, but that you are flying as well. For that instant, you don't know up from down, but you're safe from harm. Your head is spinning, telling you that you are falling, your feet and arms are trying to console your head, saying, no we are safe, your knees still not sure what is happening, not believing any body thought or reaction You are concentrating on the moment but so many feelings race through you like the speeding water below you.
"OH MY GOD!" You scream out, laughing just as much. "THIS IS SO COOL!"