Rainy Rendezvous 3: “Second Chance”
This is part 3 of a 5-part mini-serial. You can read all episodes by going to the “Rainy Rendezvous” page or by navigating using the menu above. You can listen to my audio recording by pressing “play” on the AudioBoo player below and/or read the full text that follows.
“Rainy Rendezvous: Episode 3 – Second Chance”
by P.J. Kaiser
Joanie bit her lip and burst out laughing. “Oh, I can’t keep it up in person. It was me whistling.” She whistled a bit of the same pitch that Stephen had heard.
Stephen’s face softened as he realized that no mysterious forces were at work. “But why?”
“Every few weeks on a rainy day like this, I go out in my kayak and whistle the entire time. Often, somebody will hear me and get freaked out thinking that ghost story about the lake is true. They report it to the papers and it keeps the myth alive.”
“Again, but why?”
“Well, I enjoy kayaking but I don’t like to do it with people – well, strangers – around. So I usually end up going out in the rain and I don’t want other kayakers around spoiling my solitude. So I do the whistling gag every now and then to scare off other potential kayakers. My old boyfriend used to be a big whistler.” A cloud seemed to momentarily cross her vision. “Anyway, I see it didn’t work with you, though.”
Stephen chuckled. “No, I love kayaking also and this is the first Sunday afternoon that I’ve had off in about five weeks. So even though the forecast was calling for rain, I figured it was now or never.”
“And don’t you have a girlfriend to go kayaking with?”
“Well, I did have a girlfriend, but it seems that she has broken up with me. She didn’t want to come today. In fact, she didn’t want to spend time with me at all.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true. Maybe she had some other reason for not wanting to go kayaking.”
“No, she made it pretty clear to me that she just didn’t want to be with me. I’m thinking solitude is pretty appealing now. I enjoyed my time on the water until the storm blew me off course.”
“What do you think about when you’re alone?”
“Well, today I thought about my newly ex-girlfriend.” Stephen wondered why he had disclosed this. “What do you think about?”
“Well, I think about the past. And I think about the future and wonder what it will be like. I had a sort of breakup recently also.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. What happened?”
“Well, my boyfriend – fiancee, actually – and I had been together for a long time. But he just got transferred with his job. I wasn’t able to go with him because my job is keeping me here.”
“Can’t either of you try to get another transfer so that you can be together?”
“No, unfortunately the transfer is non-negotiable. We both are in a similar line of work and this is a fairly small territory. He, uh, helps people and his services were needed elsewhere.”
“Oh, that’s too bad. Well, I guess it wasn’t mean to be.”
“Yeah, I suppose not. If you can swing an afternoon off next weekend, maybe we could go kayaking together.”
He got a queasy feeling in his stomach, unsure whether he should accept. “I thought you only liked to kayak solo?”
“Well, I don’t like to go kayaking around strangers. It’s always good to have a friend around. Plus I figure you could use a second chance to try to stay on top of the kayak this time.” Joanie grinned. “Maybe we could scare off the other boaters by whistling together.”
Stephen laughed. “You’ve got a deal.” Joanie pulled a business card from her coat pocket and offered it to Stephen. He glanced at the waxy black script on the card as he tucked it in his pocket and gave her one of his cards. “Look, the rain has cleared up. Should we begin our trek back toward Renton?”
“I don’t live in Renton. I’m in the opposite direction. Let’s meet up back here on this island next Sunday afternoon around 2:30.”
Stephen nodded. “Sounds good.”
Joanie pulled a paddle from inside her kayak and handed it to Stephen. With a smile, he accepted it and slid it into his kayak. “Thanks, you’re a life saver.”
The two dragged their kayaks back toward the water, settled inside and pushed off, their boats pointed in opposite directions. Joanie paddled and shouted over her shoulder, “See ya’ next week!”
Stephen watched the distance between them grow. He imagined his arms encircling her for a moment but then an image of Katie came into his mind. Unsure of what to think, he shook his head and dislodged both images from his mind.
He could just make out the lights of Renton in the distance. Aiming his kayak in that direction, he paddled with all his might to reach there before nightfall. The water looked like indigo ink as his paddle cut through it. He reached the kayak launch as the last light disappeared from the sky.
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I hope something or somebody can get it working for... } –
I'm thinking I was the first to hear Episode 3 !!!! PJ will know that !
@inshin
Indeed you were, Denis – thanks for listening
Water like indigo ink is complete genius. Loved this, PJ.
Lou – I'm so glad you enjoyed it – thanks for listening