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By *rtemisia OP Woman
over a year ago
Norwich |
A word sometimes applied to memory. Some moments are so golden, the light from them sears into you everywhere it touches. Branded is what you become. That unforgettable someone whom you happened to meet . . .
She'd sat there on the steps, amazed at her timekeeping. Not that even now she was precise. She was early. Unusual for her, always being driven by some nervous energy to keep everything on a knife edge. So late a lot. And occasionally early.
Like now, here. The amphitheatre at the top of the cliffs; that incredible sun reddening, creeping towards the Mediterranean, outstretched beyond the stage. She sat basking in the light, glad that it was finally cooling off a little.
She'd wanted to see this place the last time they were here. The others had wanted to go diving instead. They were diving again today, but their daughter was older now, and driving, so she and her dad had gone diving. And she had come here alone. Happy enough with herself for today. How could you not be in light like this, she thought.
She had driven up just after lunch, through the hills to get here, and assumed she would get lost despite the satnav. Surprisingly, she didn't.. And so here she sat, a bottle of water and a programme beside her, basking in the emptiness of this exquisite place. There were a few people on the stage pottering around with sound equipment, making final adjustments. Beyond that, the place was empty.
She sat idly watching them move about across the expectant stage floor. She was too far up to hear what they were saying; and so it became the timbre of voices, their resonance alone, which drifted up to her. One guy stood back from the others a little, his hands on his hips, moving them occasionally to facilitate gesticulating about this and that. Even from here, she could see he was broad chested, and his voice seemed to bounce gently from the steps around her in the still, hot air. It stopped her from noticing how tall he was at first. But then he moved. Turned. Walked away scratching his head, and looking at his watch. He seemed to cover the stage rather too quickly, for one who seemed always to move at his own, unhurried pace.
Honcho, she guessed, under her breath, and found herself smiling in amusement. Thoughts about human communication... Sound ... The vibrations we pick up well beneath the words we hear. He was in charge. Body saying in it's step, this is a tune boys and girls, and people are gonna be dancing to it. So let's be 'avin you! Finish up now. On my mark ....
He walked off stage, and she looked away out across the water, realised she was smiling a little still. She drank some water, and looked around her as people began to trickle in to find a seat, the hum of their chatter rising gently around her.
She tucked the bottle under her knees and stretched her back a little, eyes closed for a moment. When she opened them, she saw two long legs next to her, annoyingly close as there were still so many other places to sit. She chided herself for being a personal space crazed Brit, and turned around and looked and smiled politely at the owner of the legs. Her gaze took her across the equally long body, past that broad chest ... It was stage guy sitting there! She took in his broad,smiling face and her confused politeness instinctively changed its flavour for something which suddenly felt very pleasurable as it ran through her veins.
He held out his hand and she shook it, and he announced with charming directness that he had decided that this needed to be his year of living dangerously and that he had happened to see her when she got out if her car. He was surprised that someone was here this early... But then something about her had seemed, he didn't know what, as she had stood there, leaning against the bonnet and taking in the view ... lost wasn't quite it. But neither was found. He suddenly wanted to talk to her.
And in honour of his dangerous year forever blazing into a glorious, dangerous life; and before he could no longer see her for the sea of other faces, he had determined that he would rather risk embarrassing them both for a moment, than regret for a really very long time not having had the balls to say hello ....
To be continued...... |
