Click

The dock is more crowded than I thought it would be. But this was the best place for a sunset picture. The calm flat water offered a reflective surface like a giant mirror. And the sunset will be gorgeous once the colors of the setting sun hugs the clouds and gets sandwiched between the water and sky.

The day is warm but the air coming off the water feels cool as it squeezes through the crowd of people. With so many close bodies, when it comes time for the shot, I will have to hope for the best. I found a great spot to sit and wait. Everyone else was arriving for the fireworks. It feels like being in Time Square waiting for the ball to drop.

People are shuffling through, and I was getting a little jostled. I hope that when I take the picture, I can get it before that happens again.

Only about five more minutes. I got my phone ready, I wiped down the lens and cleaned my screen of fingerprints. Two more minutes. There were a few more bodies filling in the gaps in front of me. One more minute. I made sure the shutter sounds were turned on, so I could make sure it took the picture without having to look in case I had to take another one quickly.

It's time, the colors were perfect. The clouds started in with pink, then the deep orange and reds appeared, smeared across the clouds and reflecting in the water. I aimed…3,2,1…CLICK.

As soon as I took the shot, I heard a voice directed at me.

“Excuse me, were you taking a picture of me just now?” It was a woman’s voice.

I lowered my phone slowly just so I could peek over to find the source of the question.

Then….our eyes met, my face flushed. I knew because I could feel the heat radiating through my body. She was beautiful. It felt like I was staring way too long. Then I heard her again and I snapped back to life.

“Did you take a picture of me?” she asked again.

“Umm uh, oh, no, not of you.” I must’ve sounded like a stuttering fool. “I um was taking a picture of the sunset.” Then I let out my breath like I just breached the water’s surface.

She smiled at me. I fell right back into her eyes. If I were a puppy, I would’ve been drooling like someone was dangling a treat just above my nose. I wasn’t usually this awkward, or maybe I was, and I just didn’t realize until now. Either way, I felt slightly nervous.

She asked me my name, and once again, I came back from wherever I was. After a second of thought to come up with the answer, I squeaked it out. She smiled again, this time with a little chuckle behind it. Then she told me here name.

“That’s a beautiful name,” I said. I didn’t know what else to say, I just knew I had to say something. I didn’t want to appear like a sociopath or something. She was so beautiful; her eyes were gorgeous, and I kept getting lost in them. Her hair and clothes were perfect. I couldn’t see how she wanted to talk to me, even though it was just a question about snapping a pic of her. But why hasn’t she turned away now or walked away, or just said OK and moved on?

While I was in deep thought…again. She asked if I was here with anyone. And once again, I snapped out of it to say, no.

She smiled even bigger, if that was possible. “Would you like to sit with me to watch the fireworks?” she asked.

“I would love to,” I replied, this time I was right there with her.

“Great! I have an extra chair in the trunk of my car. Stay right here and I will grab it,” she said, bouncing off like an excited little kid.

She soon returned, much to my relief, with the other chair. And I exhaled. She set up the chair next to hers. We started off with the normal small talk and before we knew it the fireworks were starting. The crowd changed from conversation to oohing and aahing. As a few more fireworks raced off into the air, I felt her hand slip into mine. This time I had the biggest smile possible on MY face.