Page 7 of His Curvy Catfish
“Oh, my date is flying in tomorrow,” she said, squinting towards the water. “We’ve…ah…we’ve just started dating, so it’s still too early to tell. “
“I understand,” I said. “Here, why don’t we head down this way, we can walk along the beach and a little way down there’s an outcropping of fallen logs where we can sit. If you prefer the shade, there’s an embankment with a grassy area that’s easy to get to.”
“Sounds good,” she replied. We stepped off the boardwalk and onto the sand.
“Here,” I said, handing her the bag in my left hand. “This is for you.”
“What is it?” she asked, taking the bag, and peeking inside curiously. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“You’ll see,” I said.
She drew out a round glass bowl with an opening on top.
“It’s to make your own terrarium,” I explained. “The idea is to explore the landscape along the waterfront and search for items that appeal to you. It’s called beach combing. Start with a layer of sand, and then you can add rocks, seashells, and a bit of colorful seaweed. That sort of thing.”
“How fun!” she cried. “What a delightful gift! You definitely didn’t have to get me anything, but I love it. Thank you. I hope you’ll help me search for interesting items.”
“You’re welcome,” I said. “I’m glad you like it, and of course, I’d be happy to. Why don’t we scoop some sand into it now?”
We both knelt down, and I scooped a couple of handfuls of clean sand into the terrarium.
“Ooh, look!” Dani cried, pointing a short distance away. “Is that a sand dollar?” We rose and walked over to take a closer look.
“Sure is,” I smiled. “Good eyes.”
“Thanks,” she said as she picked up the delicate etched shell and placed it into the glass bowl.
“How long have you been working at Hillcrest?” she asked as we continued down the beach. I unhooked Buddy’s leash, and he took off ahead of us, yipping at a couple of seagulls that soared overhead.
“A little over a year,” I explained. “Before that I was in Sacramento…Former Air Force pilot.”
“Oh wow,” she said, sliding her eyes to me in surprise. “Thank you for your service.”
I nodded and turned my gaze to the water. “I would have served longer if I could have. I wanted to be career military. Planned for it, in fact.”
“The best laid plans, right?” Dani sighed.
“Exactly.”
I paused. It had been a while since I’d told anyone my story. Bending down, I picked up a rock with some interesting spots of turquoise in it and rolled it between my fingers. A few moments later, we reached the outcropping of logs.
“Care to sit?” I asked. “Or would you prefer to go up to the embankment? There’s a set of stairs hidden in the grasses.”
“I’d love to see if you wouldn’t mind,” she said.
“Great, that’s actually my favorite spot, personally.”
I called Buddy and we walked a short distance ahead and turned to the overgrown grasses that grew along a steep hill. Behind a boulder was the narrow staircase built into the terrain.
“This is so cool!” said Dani, eagerly starting the uphill climb. Buddy leaped ahead of us. When we crested the top, we stopped to catch our breath.
“This is gorgeous,” Dani said, surveying the lush green grass and trees with low-hanging branches. We selected a shaded area and sat down, stretching out our legs.
“I was overseas when it happened,” I began softly. “The plane I was flying was shot down. I had two crewmembers with me…both friends. I was the only survivor.”
“Oh my God.” Dani gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Tears welled in her eyes.
“I owe my life to the search and rescue team who got me out of there. As you can see, I was badly injured. I had six broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and my leg was busted in three places. I also suffered third degree burns on my right side, mostly my face. I was initially treated at our medical facility there, but as soon as I was well enough, I was flown back to the U.S. I spent the next eight months going through various surgeries, physical therapy, counseling, etc. Unfortunately, they declared me no longer fit for service, so I was given a medical discharge.”