We Are the Ship. All Else the Sea.

Down the hallway and up the ramp. Take a sharp turn at the quad. Now look for the stone bench in the bushes near the statue of Aristotle. At last, there it is.

Rose had found the meeting place on campus that Julie had written directions for so crudely on the inside of her geography textbook.

It was a much-needed reprieve for Rose, to sit outside in the calming autumn sunshine as she awaited the arrival of her friend Julie. As it was another chaotic morning in the Weiszner household.

There was always so much tension between her and her mother and her younger sister. And this morning was one of the worst. The fighting and screaming started over Rose buying a new skirt, a mini skirt. Her mother thought it was not only an inappropriate dress but a waste of money as Rose’s aunt was a seamstress and always made her beautiful handmade clothes.

The fight then escalated to the subject of what kind of men Rose dates. Her mother wants her to eventually marry a nice young Jewish man, and Rose recently started becoming indifferent to whom she dates. It was 1969, and Rose felt her mother needed to get with the times. But at the same time, she always understood where her mother was coming from. A place of tradition, yet a place of pain. A place she desperately wanted to hang on to.

Rose's mother and father were long separated. They had met post war in Romania. Two Holocaust survivors, lonely and desperate, seeking comfort and the means to eat and find shelter. They started a family and made ends meet at a bare minimum, but they never loved each other. It was a marriage filled with emotional and physical abuse, not unlike many others of this sort. Rose remembers a childhood filled with constant screaming and fighting.

Her parents moved often in communist Eastern Europe. Rose remembers the name-calling and beatings she would get just because she was a Jew. Eventually they found a home in Israel. Rose fell in love with the land and its people and the freedom to be who she was. She was then heartbroken when her mother eventually decided to emigrate to Canada. She was barely 10. But her mother had made contact with her long-lost older sister who was now living in Toronto, Canada. Her sister arranged for them to move to Canada where she promised they could make a good life.

A good life it has turned out to be. As Rose has now completely adapted to her new home, language and culture. She’s excelling at her academics and enthusiastic for the adventures that lay ahead.

After waiting an extra 30 minutes in the outdoor campus quad, Rose gave up on Julie. She was famished and made her way to the cafeteria. Only a dozen students were hanging around in what is usually an over-crowded eatery. Somewhere a guitar was quietly strumming, accompanying an emotional voice on "Nowhere Man".

The aroma of fresh croissants made Rose’s choice of what to add to her homemade lunch an easy one. There were plenty of empty tables, but her eye was drawn to one in particular, at the back with a well-postured man quietly reading. What a dashing figure, she thought, handsome with long wavy hair and full beard. His Nehru jacket gave him an air of worldly sophistication. Rose, never the shy type, never hesitated to go for what she wanted. And she wanted. She casually strode over to the table, looking around as if not sure where to sit. She laid her lunch and bag down. She cleared her throat. The young man was deeply lost in his book, not noticing anything different. Then his eyes rose slowly to see a woman with a mane of reddish-brown hair wearing a short beige dress. Her big bright eyes beamed a most welcoming smile that would bring anyone to life.

"Hello. Is this seat taken?" she asked.

"No not at all. Be my guest." He said with a warm smile and friendly voice. He stood.

She pulled out her chair and stretched out her hand.

"Hi, I'm Rose. Rose Weiszner."

"Gerard," he answered, his senses just coming around to seeing the amazing beauty before him. He took her hand, " Gerard Pelletier."

"Hmmm... Rose Pelletier." She paused for a brief moment then blurted out, "I'll take it!" Rose couldn’t believe what just came out of her mouth and she let out a mighty giggle in embarrassment.

Her laugh and enthusiasm caught Gerard by surprise. He turned with a slight blush. Then their eyes met, locking together. Time stood rapturously still. No one and no place else existed, not family or money or studies or friends. Their eyes danced and embraced in recognition.

“So, what are you reading? You seemed deeply engrossed. I hope I didn’t disrupt your flow.”

“I’m reading Nietzsche. And I would welcome a beautiful disruption of your kind any day.” He coyly replied as he played with his beard.

Rose took a double take on that last line as she was more than impressed by his charm. She took a deep breath and opened her lunch.

“Would you like some tongue?”

Gerard almost spitting out his coffee and he tries to decipher the question in amazement.

“Tongue. My mother made me a tongue sandwich.” She clarified with a mischievous grin, full knowing what she had just done.

“Uh, no thanks. I’m not a big fan of tongue. I mean I am but I’m…you know what I mean.” Gerard conceded. It would seem he had finally met his match.

The two chatted on for the next 30 minutes, barely touching their food. Topics ranging from their curriculum to the severity of the political situation of the time. When suddenly Gerard looked at his watch and got up to leave.

“Well, this was absolutely lovely, but I’ve got to get to my Ancient Civilizations class.”

“Oh okay.” Rose said with a disappointing smile.

“But then again, those civilizations aren’t going anywhere. Want to go study outside?

“I’ve never wanted to study more in my life.” Rose gleefully exhaled.

They first went for a stroll in the serene autumn colors and smells. And then they settled on a secluded spot on the grass by a big maple tree.

Rose told him about her family and where she came from. Gerard reciprocated by telling her how he comes from a devout Roman Catholic family.

“To tell you the truth, I went to a seminary for high school and was supposed to become a priest.” He explained with deep reflection.

“Get out! I cannot see that.” Rose laughed with disbelief.

“No, it’s true. I quickly realized a sheltered life was not for me. And even though I knew it would break my parents’ hearts, I knew I had to follow my own.”

A moment of silence rushed over the pair. Rose, absorbing the depth of what had just been uttered, looked upon the man in front her and saw herself.

Time passed with ease as neither missed a beat. The two almost subconsciously edging ever so closer physically on the grass.

Gerard was enthralled by Rose’s artistic skills like painting and her knowledge of many languages. And Rose was fascinated by Gerard’s poetry and song writing.

“You’ll have to play your guitar for me sometime. Is there anyone special who inspires your songs?”

“No not really. But if there is I’m sure you’ll be the first to know it.” Gerard said softly with daggers for eyes.

“Are there anymore like you at home?” She swooned as she got lost in his big brown eyes.

He kept still for a moment to savor it all. Then he slowly leaned in. Their lips became one. Kissing for an incalculable period of time. A moment wrapped in a moment.

Rose then pulled back in laughter.

“What is so funny?” He asked.

“Oh my, I was just having a fight with my mother this morning of her telling me to stay away from men like you.”

“Something tells me you don’t often do what your mother tells you.” He smirked with raised eyebrows.

“Well then, why stop now? I don’t know about you but I’m getting hungry. Want to grab some dinner?” she asked with gusto.

“I know this beautiful little Italian place called La Vecchia. It’s just a 10 minute drive away. They have the best penne alla vodka.”

“Ooo I’ve never tried that. Just try and stop me.” Rose answered with desire written all over her face.

The pair sat at the table by the window with half eaten plates and two glasses of Merlot, immersed in each other. When suddenly, he popped the question.

“What do you want to do with the rest of your life?”

“I want to travel. I want to go everywhere,” she said as she brimmed with imagination.

“So do I! I’ve already been to parts of Europe, but I want to go to new places. Places most tourists are afraid to go.”

“Ok but you have to promise to take me.” She glanced off into the distant future.

“Alright, but when I say travel, I mean travel. None of this 5-star treatment. Get down and dirty. Taste the earth on which other people grow their hopes and dreams.”

“That’s the way I like it,” she exclaimed, the tension rising to a boil.

“Ahem, then where should we go?” he asked trying to lighten the moment.

“Don’t know, you tell me. You lead the way. You're supposed to be the experienced world traveler.”

“Well, how about we start in South America, take a ship over to Africa, backpack through India, hitch a ride through the South Pacific and make it home by next Christmas?”

“That sounds amazing! But don't you think we should have a second date first? I usually like to discover more about a man before I gallop across the universe with him.” She was so demure, so captivating, he could barely continue.

“Yeah, you’re right. You have to go on at least three dates before you make such a commitment, right?” he countered slyly.

Rose and Gerard stayed in each other’s eyes until closing time. For both of them, there was an opening for the taking, and neither missed their cue. The third date never ended and is still tasting the ground of their conjoined hopes and dreams.