"The Sea and Air"
The boat seemed rickety to me; old rough wood that begged to fill you with splinters and loose oar locks.
It also seemed that it was quite small to take into the ocean. Tankers in the distance made us look like a kernel of corn against a silo.
My life jacket was securely fastened and I as still standing on the beach. I don't like water, but there would be friends in other boats and a lifeguard as well. I did like the play of warm frothy water over my feet and even the feel of sinking slightly into disappearing sand.
They helped me into the boat when it was already in the water, fearing I would back out if I had to push it out and then jump inside. I held onto the seat with gloved hands for my skin did not relish slivers of wood in my palms.
The boat rocked and tried to go back to the beach, but my fisherman forced in forward. He was a large man; too large for the boat, but he seemed quite at ease. I had seen him earlier looking out to sea and taking large gulps of salty sea air. He seemed to inflate with joy, like the sea was part of him... maybe he was a merman.
The air felt thick and heavy, damp and rich. It felt and smelled like life, primordial life. My skin was damp and I bet it was good for the complexion. I wanted to drink the water, but I couldn't. It just summoned me. I liked the taste of the salt in the air.
The boats gathered as close as they could, for we were here to fish. I didn't know what type, but had been promised a fine fish dinner if I went out with them. They played around with tackle boxes and poles and then began fly fishing, I was told.
I watched men and women fish for their food. This wasn't a hobby to them, but their food and livelihood. They were hearty souls and very down to earth and friendly. Not one laughed at my life-jacket or nervous state. I was accepted as I was.
The freighters looked like trays of Legos and I hoped they didn't spill into the sea. I felt protective of the sea now. It reeked of life. I wondered what would happen if I fell in... would I truly float? Would they save me?
I wasn't going to try, but felt as vulnerable as a bird in a new cage with the family cats below me, waiting. The sea wanted me. What would it do with me once it had me, but hold me down and feed off of me?
Shaking my head from the pull and revelry caused by fear, I saw we were headed back to shore. I hadn't even talked to anyone! Man, they would never ask me back... I felt like I was a burden and would make sure to help pull the boat back in.
I jumped out when the fisherman did, but forgot I was five feet and he was six feet four inches. I went under. I knew I would pop back up so I relaxed.
He snatched me up by the life jacket and towed me unceremoniously to shore while his cronies rescued the boat. I just sat there and watched as others looked at me. I smiled and dried my face on an offered towel.
"Oops!" I laughed. It was such a stupid thing to say, but I didn't feel like my usual diatribe on things had happened. It was simply an "oops" in lie and all was well.
My fisherman stood over me and he was glorious. I took his hand when offered and looked into sea green eyes.
"You mad?" I asked, but he just sighed deeply and shook his head. He scooped me up and as soon trudging up the beach with me. He sat me on a boulder and dried my tangled mass of hair. I then realized I was shivering. I hugged him to me, but he just stood there. I released him and smiled.
"Sorry, just cold." He nodded. He took off the life jacket and helped me down and we were soon in his truck with heat blasting.
"I would have hugged you back, but you will leave and I don't want to be involved with a tourist."
"Me? I am the new nurse at the clinic. I moved her last week." I smirked.
He smirked too, but we left it there, to simmer... he found out where I lived though, so we will see if my fisherman comes to call.
They helped me into the boat when it was already in the water, fearing I would back out if I had to push it out and then jump inside. I held onto the seat with gloved hands for my skin did not relish slivers of wood in my palms.
The boat rocked and tried to go back to the beach, but my fisherman forced in forward. He was a large man; too large for the boat, but he seemed quite at ease. I had seen him earlier looking out to sea and taking large gulps of salty sea air. He seemed to inflate with joy, like the sea was part of him... maybe he was a merman.
The air felt thick and heavy, damp and rich. It felt and smelled like life, primordial life. My skin was damp and I bet it was good for the complexion. I wanted to drink the water, but I couldn't. It just summoned me. I liked the taste of the salt in the air.
The boats gathered as close as they could, for we were here to fish. I didn't know what type, but had been promised a fine fish dinner if I went out with them. They played around with tackle boxes and poles and then began fly fishing, I was told.
I watched men and women fish for their food. This wasn't a hobby to them, but their food and livelihood. They were hearty souls and very down to earth and friendly. Not one laughed at my life-jacket or nervous state. I was accepted as I was.
The freighters looked like trays of Legos and I hoped they didn't spill into the sea. I felt protective of the sea now. It reeked of life. I wondered what would happen if I fell in... would I truly float? Would they save me?
I wasn't going to try, but felt as vulnerable as a bird in a new cage with the family cats below me, waiting. The sea wanted me. What would it do with me once it had me, but hold me down and feed off of me?
Shaking my head from the pull and revelry caused by fear, I saw we were headed back to shore. I hadn't even talked to anyone! Man, they would never ask me back... I felt like I was a burden and would make sure to help pull the boat back in.
I jumped out when the fisherman did, but forgot I was five feet and he was six feet four inches. I went under. I knew I would pop back up so I relaxed.
He snatched me up by the life jacket and towed me unceremoniously to shore while his cronies rescued the boat. I just sat there and watched as others looked at me. I smiled and dried my face on an offered towel.
"Oops!" I laughed. It was such a stupid thing to say, but I didn't feel like my usual diatribe on things had happened. It was simply an "oops" in lie and all was well.
My fisherman stood over me and he was glorious. I took his hand when offered and looked into sea green eyes.
"You mad?" I asked, but he just sighed deeply and shook his head. He scooped me up and as soon trudging up the beach with me. He sat me on a boulder and dried my tangled mass of hair. I then realized I was shivering. I hugged him to me, but he just stood there. I released him and smiled.
"Sorry, just cold." He nodded. He took off the life jacket and helped me down and we were soon in his truck with heat blasting.
"I would have hugged you back, but you will leave and I don't want to be involved with a tourist."
"Me? I am the new nurse at the clinic. I moved her last week." I smirked.
He smirked too, but we left it there, to simmer... he found out where I lived though, so we will see if my fisherman comes to call.
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