Chance Encounter

As the sun was bathing the field in a mellow summer’s glow, Sarah continues her walk along the country path that meanders around the edge of the field. The soft yellow light soothing her as she takes each step. It’s a warm, late afternoon and she had decided to finish her day off with this, luxurious walk.

The light breeze allows her floral dress to flow freely as it hangs from her slim frame. Her long, wavy brown hair dancing to the tune of the warm wind as it washes over her too. With the sun gradually getting lower in the sky, she looks up to see a large tree on the hill before her. Its long, featherlike branches waving gently to her as she progresses to it. The sight of this tree calms her even further. Feeling the need to proceed to it, to rest and enjoy the view.

A few more steps and she’s there, looking up to admire its glory as it towers above her. A lonely tree along the edge of the marigold flower field, the little dirt path running just alongside it.

Sarah reaches out and touches the bark of the tree, it’s warm to the touch and after a moment she takes her hand away and turns to sit down against it.

Looking over the horizon, gazing at the splendid view before her, she breathes in the scent of the flowers and beholds the way the sunlight is beaming through the clouds across the fields and trees. The view goes on for quite a distance in one direction too, even more so on such a clear day as this one.

She lets out a long sigh, relaxed, alone and away from the chaos of other things in her life.

As a bird flies over, she closes her eyes, leans her head back and just enjoys the warmth as it washes over her face.

After a time, she feels a brief vibration in the tree and she jolts forward in surprise. Wondering what it could be, she then gets up to look around on the other side of the tree.

There, to her surprise is a man, about the same age as her if she had to guess too. She can’t help but question why he is here and if he is dangerous.

He looks up in surprise too. They startle each other but then the two of them begin to smile and laugh about it. He doesn’t speak but instead stands up and offers his hand in a friendly gesture.

Sarah takes it, feeling his firm grip around her hand, noting how soft his skin is. She looks up, seeing him standing there with a smile, near shoulder length brown hair flowing in the air to the same rhythm of the breeze as hers. His white shirt sleeves rolled up and his suspenders running up to his shoulders. She smiles back and shakes his hand a little longer, looking into his blue eyes.

The man pulls his hand away and then points to the field on this side of the tree, then presses his hand to his chest. She guessed that he was saying he loved the view. In that moment, she wondered if he could speak, so she gestures by bringing her hand to her lips as if to ask if he could speak.

The man lowers his head and looks sad for a moment before re-joining her gaze and shakes his head. Sarah felt bad for this man, he seems so sad that he can’t speak. So, she tries a little sign language to see if that would work.

“Can you not speak?” she signs to him. But he doesn’t understand what she means, so he just looks confused. Instead, he takes her hand softly and sits down beside the tree, so she sits down with him.

Who is this man? She wondered in her mind. He doesn’t seem dangerous and in fact has a kind soul, she thought. He leans forward as the breeze picks up for a moment and plucks one of the stray flowers growing near to the tree. Turning to her, he places it in her hand and smiles.

The innocent gesture surprises her but also warms her heart more than the sun ever could this late afternoon. She smiles back and nods in acceptance of his gift.

The two of them sit there for a time, just enjoying the view. It was nice to have company, even if it was unexpected. Such a kind man was a rarity in her life and she enjoyed this moment. She didn’t know who he was and he didn’t know her either. She had no identification on her at all and guessed that he didn’t either, but it didn’t matter. It might have ruined the moment if they took it further anyway.

After a few more minutes of watching the landscape in front of them, he turns and stands up. Sarah gets up to join him too, a little confused. He points over his shoulder and then at his chest, indicating that he has to go. He looks sad again as well and she did too. It was a lovely time with a complete stranger and felt a shame for it to end.

He reaches down and lifts her hand up. Then he softly removes the flower, reaches up and places it in her hair, over her left ear. Weaving it through the strands of her hair, she feels safe and comforted by this man as he does. His fingers linger a few seconds on her cheek before he smiles. Then turns her hand to kiss the back of it before turning to walk off along the path in the other direction.

Sarah watches as the stranger walks away, he turns briefly after a few moments to smile and wave. She follows the man with her gaze as he walks for a few minutes, wondering who he is but afraid to run after him and find out.

Then, he’s gone in amongst the trees and she is suddenly left with this feeling of loss, unable to explain it but she turns and walks back the way she came.

The breeze picks up further and the sun is getting lower too, just peeking out from behind the trees now and she needs to get back home before dark.

Along her return journey she thinks about the man a lot, about how gentle and kind he was. Something she was not used to at all, but it was a welcome chance encounter.

The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to know more. To see this man again. She had not met anyone like her before either and felt the instant connection with him. She wished that she could speak, but like her, he hadn’t the ability to.

After a few more minutes of walking, she was back home and had ambivalent feelings about it all. It was sweet, romantic and she would never forget it. Sarah reaches up and touches the marigold flower placed in her hair by the kind man.

She smiles and hopes that she will meet him again. If she doesn’t, then she will always have this flower and that wonderful memory.