To The Reader: Some scientists postulate that more than one universe exists. In fact, there are those who believe that there may be an infinite number of parallel universes that exist side-by-side. This would mean that an infinite number of you exist, in multiple different universes. This theory is so popular that a movie was actually made about it - 2001's
The One
, starring Jet Li.
This story is written based upon the idea that more than one universe exists. While Jason Garrett and Erin Benning were losing their virginities on the beach in
A La Jolla First
, who knows what could've been going on in another one of the universes. This story contains many similarities to
A La Jolla First
; however, it is more than just a re-write - it is definitely a story that stands on its own.
My name is Jason Le'Garte. My last name is French, and it's ridiculous. It's pronounced lay-GA, but you have to make it sound like you're hocking a loogie at the end. I can't tell you how much that name pissed me off growing up.
I had been dating Kelli Windsor for about six months. Before we were together, we had been very good friends for over a year. Looking back on it, it's hard to believe that as recently as January of 2003, I had regularly confused her with her best friend, Sara Parker.
I had remarked on this to her earlier in the day, and she had agreed how funny it seemed, that two people who had barely known each other a year and a half before could now be desperately in love with each other. "It's probably for the best," I had said, "when you consider some of the stuff that happened this afternoon!"
It was September 2004. We were in San Diego for Labor Day weekend, along with the college group from our church. We had gone to Pacific Beach that afternoon because, well, Pacific Beach is arguably the best beach in San Diego – or, for that matter, southern California. While we were at the beach, we had gone out into the ocean for quite a while with our friends Erin, Cory, and Alexis – because, after all, what else is there to do on the beach besides tan and swim?
The waves that day were rather high, but they were breaking fairly close into the beach, and we were almost even with the end of Crystal Pier, so we were enjoying just riding over the tops of the waves as they came in. Then, as we were standing in the ocean waiting for the next wave, Cory looked out toward the ocean and simply muttered, "Oh, shit."
I turned toward the ocean. A massive wave was cresting about thirty feet from where we were. "PARTY WAVE!" I yelled at the top of my lungs as I braced myself for the impact.
WHAM. The wave slammed into us with the force of thousands of gallons of salt water. I was knocked head over heels, but recovered quickly. However, as I was standing up, I saw Erin rushing toward me on the wave, and as she ran straight into me with the force of the wave, I was knocked over... and I felt as she reached out for support, grabbed my board shorts, and managed to pull them straight down to my feet.
There I stood, in the Pacific Ocean, my shorts around my ankles, and my exposed penis the victim of the shrinkage that comes naturally with cold water. Erin quickly stood up, bright red. "Oh my God," she said, "I am so sorry." Kelli looked at me with a rather amused grin and a cocked eyebrow.
I quickly pulled my shorts back up. Though I was quite sure I was probably blushing just as much as Erin, I did my best to simply shrug it off. "No big deal," I said. "It happens... well, it doesn't, but it's not a big deal."
Cory and Alexis stumbled back out to us, and noticed us standing there, Erin and I still rather red, Kelli doing her best to hold her laughter in. "What the..." Cory began, but then just let it die.
Neither Erin nor I said a word to the other for the next fifteen minutes. Then, another party wave came crashing in, and as it swept me off my feet, it turned me around, just in time for my face to impact Kelli's crotch.
The impact knocked me all the way over, and Kelli got bowled head over heels over me. As she stood up, she just started laughing, as did I. This was just turning out to be a ridiculous day.
Fortunately (and I say fortunately because I don't think any of us, ESPECIALLY me could have handled much more embarrassment), there were no more such incidents that afternoon. The rest of the day progressed smoothly (with the exception of Cory getting stung by a manta ray), and our group headed off to La Jolla that evening, tanned and tired.
That evening found me sitting in a corner of the hall of the church we were staying at, working on homework for my theory of psychological disorders class (I know, call me a nerd, call me whatever, but I needed to get it done). After a while, though, I just couldn't take it any more. I got up and started pacing around the church. At one point, I passed Erin.
"Hey Jason," she said with a smart-ass grin, "I heard there's a full moon out tonight. Have you seen it?"
With a laugh, I gave her the bird and continued pacing. That's when Kelli tapped me on the shoulder.
"Jason," she said, "you know how I've always wanted to go for a romantic walk on the beach under a full moon?"
"Dammit," I replied, "enough with the full moon jokes. Are you and Erin in on this together?"
Kelli just looked at me. "No, Jason," she replied. "I'm serious."
Hmmm. Well, a romantic walk on the beach with the woman I loved. Was I going to say no to that? Hell no!