The Lighthouse Keeper

On my final day as a lighthouse keeper, I climbed the 76 spiral steps and two ladders to the watch room. It felt like a reflection of my 76 years on this earth. Each step echoed with a strange sound. Something felt off. At that very moment, Alfred Simons was dealing with a fire on his boat not far from the coast.

Inside the watch room, a sign proudly displayed, "Angie Lettlehop, Lightkeeper—First lit the depths on March 2nd, 1985, and hasn’t missed a night.” Almost forty years of service. Despite my age, I still read the sky like a book. The lighthouse had a unique smell of old wood and sea air. Outside, I could smell the rain coming—the sweet scent of petrichor. Storm clouds were gathering, and I could taste the ozone in the air.

You might wonder why I stayed a lighthouse keeper for so long. Maybe it was because I loved finding lost things. I couldn’t let go.

Meanwhile, Seline patrolled the nearby ports in his tugboat, waiting for calls for help. With many inexperienced boaters around, Seline had his hands full. We were all on separate paths, but tonight, they intersected.

I've had many careers over the years. I was a skier, then a student, a forestry worker, and a mother. But my longest job was being a lighthouse keeper for 40 years.

Tonight was supposed to be special, a ceremonial farewell. Yet, something felt amiss.

Suddenly, a call came over the radio. It was Seline .

“Channel 19.”

I hoped it wasn’t an emergency.

* * *

Alfred Simons was in trouble. His boat was stranded at sea.

A fire had damaged his boat's electrical system, leaving him without navigation tools. Hours passed, and his backup batteries died, leaving him lost.

Richie had recently bought a used boat, dreaming of romantic getaways with Rene. However, financial constraints led him to neglect maintenance and hire an unreliable handyman named Louie.

Rene, meanwhile, was more interested in materialistic things. She left Richie for someone wealthier. Heartbroken, Richie decided to sail out to sea alone without telling anyone.

Now, lost at sea, Richie felt regret for his decisions.

* * *

Back at the lighthouse, Seline called again.

“How’s my favorite lady tonight?”

“Behave yourself, Seline. It's my last night.”

“You'll be back. We both know it.”

We chatted, and then Seline mentioned something urgent.

“There’s a young guy out there named Richie, lost and heading towards a storm. We need to help him.”

Despite the danger, Seline was determined to save Richie.

* * *

Richie was scared. Alone in the dark, he felt lost and helpless. The boat's fuel was running low, and he regretted not being better prepared.

Suddenly, he saw flares in the distance. It was Seline, coming to his rescue.

With Seline 's help, Richie was safely brought aboard the tugboat.

“Why did you come looking for me?” Richie asked.

“Because someone had to,” Seline replied.

* * *

Back at the lighthouse, Seline called me again.

“Angie, are you ready to retire?”

“I’m not sure, Seline .”

“Let's have dinner tonight and talk about it.”

That night, Seline's determination and care made me realize that maybe retirement wasn't for me just yet.

As the storm raged outside, I felt grateful for Seline's friendship and for the paths that led us here. Maybe retirement could wait a little longer.