Many years ago I was pretty active in taking outdoor photographs. I hated doing people, and especially didn't like doing weddings but they paid a lot better than the occasional sell of a scenic photo, so I shot weddings and family portraits as they came along. Like I said, that was quite a few years ago. When kids came along there wasn't time for my photo trips and the activity died out. Now, with the kids all on their own and me single again, there's a lot more time to do the things I want to do. I live a much simpler life these days, doing some part-time consulting and an odd handyman job for some of the divorced and/or widowed women in town, and have come back to photography now that I have to time to learn digital and the various software programs available for publishing.
With no daily or weekly commitments these days I decided to take some road trips and shoot some images, like the good old days. One difference, though, would be that these days I often preferred a motel room at least now and then whereas back in the day a tent was grand enough. So, I decided to take a trip up the coast, further than I'd ever roamed before, and see what the coastal redwoods held. Like way back, I didn't set a firm itinerary, but decided to play it loose as to where I'd go and how long I'd stay.
After driving hard for almost two days I got to a small town on the northern California coast well after dark, but found no campgrounds and virtually all the motels full. Finally, on the outskirts of town, I came across a small inn that showed vacancies and I pulled in at the office just as the night manager was about to exit the door for the night. They only had one room left, he explained, one side of a duplex cottage. It actually worked well for me as it had an efficiency kitchenette and a little deck out facing towards the shore. So, I took the room and as I was unloading my truck I noticed how quiet it was around there. Not many of the other rooms had any lights on, and the opposite side of the unit I was in had a car parked there but there were no lights on or sounds coming from that side. I figured whomever was there was either out for the evening or had retired very early for the night.
The next morning I rose early and took a cup of hot tea out onto the little deck to listen to the sea lions bark along the shoreline. The breeze felt refreshing and the air was just cool enough to be brisk. I hadn't noticed any signs of life from the unit next door, but kept to my side of the adjoining deck just the same. It was fine by me that they kept to themselves, for the very last thing I wanted on this trip was some chatty neighbor. Just as I was about to get up and start out on my day's quest the door from the next unit opened. I turned to see who it was well before they had looked out onto the deck themselves.
As the younger woman stepped out I instinctively rose to greet her, something I was taught to do at a young age. With the noise of my chair sliding back she startled and looked at me almost with shock in her eyes. I apologized and stepped back a step or two towards my unit. She was still dressed in her nightgown and a very thin robe of sorts, and the cool morning air had produced instant bumps on her ample chest. She clutched the robe to her and without any word spoken she slipped back into her unit and shut the door. Well, it was about time to head out anyway so I grabbed my camera bag from my room and headed out for my truck.
I spent the whole day out along the coast taking images of the waves crashing against the rocky shore, of sea lions lounging, and of the sun filtering through the redwoods to the ferns below. Being out in nature like that, alone and in the quietness had always been a stress relief for me and this day was one of the more therapeutic ones I'd had in a long time, and long overdue. On the way back toward my little duplex cottage I'd stopped and picked up a whole basket of cheeses, crackers of all sorts, nuts and berries, some breads and deli meats, fresh fruits, and some cold beers as well as a bottle of tequila.
Back at the cottage I grabbed a cold brew, some crackers and some hot cheese and headed out to the deck to watch the last glowing rays of the sun dim on the far horizon. The stars were already beginning to sparkle faintly in the sky that faded from west to east, and a chill was settling down upon the shadows. About the time I'd finished the first of the beers and was getting up to get another I heard my neighbor's door open. Turning to face her I saw her standing there looking somewhat timid. I greeted her politely, told her my name and stepped towards her with hand extended. She just stood there for a moment as if she didn't know what to do, then gently took my hand by the fingertips and softly said "Hi."
I invited her to sit and enjoy some of the snacks I'd laid out, and asked if I could get her something to drink. She declined the drink but did eye the snacks on the table and headed towards a seat. I excused myself and went to get that brew, thinking I'd return just long enough to be polite then excuse myself to my room for the evening.
When I returned to the deck I noticed the young lady munching on the snacks as if she were truly hungry. I also noticed a delicate nature about her. She was tall and fairly well proportioned, but petite and delicate at the same time. Her auburn hair hung in loose curls down below her shoulders and her skin was creamy and smooth. I also noticed her goosebumps, so I reached just inside my door and grabbed a fleece jacket I had laying there. As I stepped back out onto the deck she looked up at me with a slight smile, but also with just a touch of fear it seemed.
She took the jacket without hesitation and as we sat there talking about the sunset and the stars she kept snacking away. I commented that she seemed hungry, and that was the wrong thing to do for she instantly stopped eating and withdrew back into her seat. I apologized, said something about the snacks being addictive to me, too, and then asked her name. "Ann" was all she said.
As the evening grew Ann and I sat there on the deck and chatted about all sorts of things. I was surprised at how easily the talk came for me, feeling completely at ease with this young lady and she apparently feeling some ease with me, too. At first I had thought myself to be perhaps old enough to be her dad, at least biologically, but found out that we really weren't that far apart in years, a testament to her youthful appearance. I also found out that she too was there alone, and was an empty nester of sorts, too. Her husband had been very abuse, verbally and physically, and after she'd finally rid herself and her children of the scum she'd raised her son and daughter alone. They were out on their own now and she was simply lonely. This trip was a getaway of sorts for her too, but more of a treat herself sort of thing. The longer the conversation went on, it seemed the easier it got for her to talk, too. But, I was getting hungry for something more substantial, so when I offered to take us somewhere or bring back something, she smiled and said something brought back would be nice, that "it was nice just sitting here with good company and enjoying the evening."
A half hour later I was back with some take-out that at least smelled good, some wine for Ann, and two slices of cheesecake for dessert. Somehow it felt good to be doing this, sort of like a date. Maybe it just felt good to be doing something for someone just for the heck of it. Regardless, when I got back there was a note on my door to come to her side of the duplex, and before I could knock on her door it swung open and Ann was standing there with a huge smile on her face. She'd arranged a dining table of sorts in her room from the little desk, one side adjacent the bed and the chair on the other side, and had candles lit and music playing in the background. When I looked around and commented on how romantic it was Ann blushed openly and then started to apologize, but I stopped her short by telling her how it was so nice to have this kind of atmosphere once in a while, and it had been a long while.
The supper was filled with laughter, and the longer we talked the more open we both became. As I cleared the things from the table she brewed some coffee in the little pot there in the room and we enjoyed the cheesecake by candlelight alone. It really was a romantic setting, and when we finished I reached for her hand and said, "Let's see what the stars look like now."
With a slight giggle Ann took my hand and I led her out onto the little deck that joins our units. The night air was crisp and clear, and the stars were twinkling above like a blanket full of sparkles. The air smelled good and a slow song was softly drifting out through the door of her room that we'd left open. I asked, "Would you like to dance?"
"Of course!" And there on the deck we danced a slow dance, the old fashioned way with her held close to me, my arm around her waist and hers on my shoulder. The chill, the wine and the mood allowed Ann to lay her head on my chest as we danced, and her hair smelled clean and fresh. She moved next to me, mocking my every movement with a light touch and grace. When the song was over it was as if she didn't want to stop. Finally when I stopped, Ann looked up at me, tilted her face upwards as she closed her eyes, and our lips met softly and gently. The kiss was held just long enough for me to taste the sweetness of her lips, feel the warmth of her breath, and feel her body leaning into mine. As we parted our lips her eyes met mine with moisture beginning to cloud the edges. Ann thanked me for a wonderful evening and bid me a good night. With that she turned to enter her cottage as I bid her a good night as well.
The next morning I had my cup of tea on the deck while the sun was rising, but never heard a stirring from Ann's unit. I didn't want to pressure her, besides, there were some trails the locals had clued me about that I wanted to explore during the morning hours, perhaps getting some rising sun shots. So off I went not knowing when or if I'd ever see Ann again or not.
