This one is fiction inspired by a true event....the day a celebrity was in line ahead of me at the grocery store. The studio is just down the street, and she was buying some fresh lunch from the deli section.
It wasn't Rachel Nichols, and I just watched as she walked away, but for the purposes of this story.....well it's fantasy, after all, isn't it?
I hope you enjoy it.
And, if Rachel herself should happen to read it.... I hope you'll get in touch! ;-)
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It was a beautiful, near summer day in the lower mainland, with the normal complement of bright sunshine, pleasant temperatures, light breezes and chirping birds. There were plenty of people around, enjoying the sun.
I loved the summers here. The winters could drive you into depression, with weeks of incessant rain, followed by still more of the same....but the summers were perfect. Warm, but not humid, and that warmth led to my favourite thing about summer here.
You see, there was no shortage of outdoor activities for people to use as exercise, and keep themselves in shape. I say 'people', but I'm a guy, so really, I only noticed the women. Lots of women. Lots of firm, toned women, in shorts and thin, scanty tops. Personally, I thought it was still a little cool for the summer attire, but I was happy to check them out.
Still, there was something different about this one. Well dressed, wearing a long jacket that hid her curves, but she drew my gaze anyway, even from behind.
I was in my car, rolling slowly along through the parking lot of the plaza, and she was on the sidewalk. Relax....I'm not a stalker, but I learned long ago not to assume anything when it comes to pedestrians.
I once had a skateboarder try to do one of those 'board flip grind' tricks, right in front of me, as I entered a parking lot. Something told me to watch out, that he wasn't paying attention, and when he proved his skills didn't match his ambition by sprawling on the pavement in front of me, I was able to stop.
Ever since then, I had been extra careful. I just thought of it as being courteous, and safe.
I never thought it would pay dividends, and change my life.
The woman on the sidewalk had her head down, looking at her phone. Long brown hair hung down her back, and that's part of what had me watching her.
Two people walking side by side toward her forced her to the left to go around them. Why do people do that? So self absorbed that they become obnoxious, like they own the sidewalk. As the brunette stepped left, they bumped her as well. The rest almost happened in slow motion.
She was tall, but still wearing boots with a moderate heel, and the bump made her catch her foot. She tried to regain her balance, but was too close to the edge of the sidewalk. Her heel slipped off, and her left ankle buckled, pitching her onto the asphalt, right in front of my bumper. She landed hard, crashing onto her left side, while I screeched to a halt.
I put my flashers on, and jumped out of my car, racing forward to check on her. Surprisingly, I was the only one. The two people who had caused her fall kept walking, oblivious to the world, and while a few others had gathered on the sidewalk and were asking if she was alright, no one else was really helping. As I reached her, I heard the crunch of a car running over her phone, which the fall had sent spinning into the next lane.
"Are you okay?" I asked her. She still had her back to me, laying on her side.
"Um, no, not really," she replied. She turned her head, and looked at me appreciatively. There was something familiar about her eyes, but right now, I had other things to deal with.
"Stay down," I said, kneeling beside her. "Did you hit your head?"
"No, I don't think so," she moaned, trying to sit up. "Just everything else."
"Take it easy," I said softly, helping her sit. I braced behind her, "Here....lean back against me and catch your breath."
"Thank you for not running me over," she giggled. "Do you see my phone?" she added, looking around.
"Yeah, I do," I replied. "Sorry to say it wasn't so lucky. I think it's fatally wounded." I pointed to the shattered pile of glass, plastic and metal in the middle of the other lane.
"Oh shit! I really liked that phone," she grumbled.
"Well, at least it wasn't anything more important. What hurts?" I asked.
"Left hand, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle," she said, brushing the scuffed skin of her palm. "And my pride. Help me up, please?"
"Okay," I smiled, and took her right hand. I put my arm around her waist, and gave her something to push against. "Don't put too much weight on the ankle. I saw the way it twisted when you fell."
Using three of our available four legs, we managed to get her standing, and I propped her up beside my car. She tried to stand on the left ankle, but the pain marred her beautiful face....a face I now recognized, along with the pretty blue eyes.
"I think we should take you to get that ankle looked at," I suggested. She nodded, and smiled.
"Thank you for helping me. I feel like an idiot, falling like that."
"Well, you shouldn't," I smiled back, as I helped her into the passenger seat of my car. "I saw what happened. It wasn't your fault."
"Thank you anyway," she giggled. "Can I ask one more favour?" Pick up what's left of my phone? Maybe the sim card and data card are okay."
I nodded, and went to retrieve the crushed device, joining her in the car a moment later. As I sat, she extended her hand.
"My name is...." she began.
".... Rachel. Yes, I know," I grinned, completing her sentence. "Rachel Nichols. I recognized you a few minutes ago, but I didn't want to say anything while there were other people around. May as well not be on the front page of the newspaper, right?" I held her hand. It was soft, and warm. She smiled again.
"Thank you for your discretion. You are....?" she asked.
"Oh, right.....Mike Edwards," I blurted, suddenly realizing who was sitting next to me, still holding my hand.
"Well Mike, if you could drive me back to the studio. It's only two blocks, that way," she gestured with her eyes. "And, if I could borrow your phone for one quick call?"
"Of course," I smiled, releasing her hand to dig into my pocket. I handed my phone to her, and started the car. I began to drive slowly away, as she made her call.
"Hi Marcy....it's Rachel," I heard her say. "Yeah, I know... I had to borrow someone's phone. Mine's dead. Car killed it.....I'll explain later. Listen Hon, can you meet us at Medical?... Yes 'us'....I'm afraid I can't walk, and a nice gentleman is giving me a ride back..... Thanks Marcy."
"Thanks Mike," she giggled, handing it back. "My assistant will take me off your hands at the clinic, inside the studio grounds. Turn left here... "
We pulled to a stop at the security shack, and a beefy guy in a uniform stepped out.
"Can I help you?" he rumbled. I pointed to Rachel, and he ducked his head to look past me.
"Hi Bill," she giggled, waving her fingertips at him.
"Miss Nichols?" he answered, confused. "Didn't you just leave? On foot?"
"Yes, but I won't be doing much walking for a while, I fear," she replied. "My friend Mike is helping me home. Can you let us in, and give him a guest pass, please?"
"Of course, Ma'am," he nodded, and went back into his hut.
I was still considering her words.....that I was a 'friend'....when he returned with two items. The first, a parking pass, he placed on my dashboard, after noting my plate number. The second was a lanyard, with a card that read 'Guest' on it.
