Unexpected Gift

Her husband gave her an unexpected gift this morning, and he didn't even know it. She was dressed in her jeans and t-shirt, grocery list tucked into her purse, ready to head out the door. She grabbed her camera as a last minute thought. Maybe she would have time to stop at the beach after groceries, maybe the thick fog that hung in the air would still be there. Her husband noting her camera bag, asked his usual question, "Where are you going?" She said she might stop at the state park after groceries, hoping that the fog would still be there. He knows she loves fog. Then he gave her the gift, "Why don't you stop at the beach first, and then get groceries?"

The thought had occurred to her, but she really likes to get to the grocery store early, before the crowds. Although, how much of a crowd there would be on a Tuesday morning is questionable. With a "love you", she walked out the door and got into her car. Backing out of the driveway, she thought maybe she would just drive to the beach and see what the fog was like there.

Five minutes later, she parks her car in the parking lot and sees the heavy layer of fog that blankets everything. Fog has a way of making the ordinary look extraordinary.  She still questions the light, but she does have her tripod in the back of the car, that should provide the stability she might need for low light. She gets out, gathers her gear and sets off.

Walking across the wooden boardwalk, she hears a mourning dove calling in the trees above her and then the echo of another from across the channel. The sound amplified in the moisture laden air.

As she walks along, she thinks about what she is reading in her new book of ideas. What story does she want to capture today with her camera? If she had a long lens with her, and she could see the mourning dove, that would be her story.

She keeps walking. The big red lighthouse comes into view, she stops to set up her tripod and take a few shots. That can always be her story if she doesn't find anything else. Although she feels she has told that story a lot lately, still it's a good backup plan.

She reaches the leading lines of the blue pier, she loves the blue in the mist. She feels the story pulling her down the walkway. As she glances into the water to the right of the pier, she sees something eerie floating below the water, at first she thinks it is a fish. Carp are not desired catches for the fishermen on the pier, even though they catch plenty of them. Then she sees the pointed bill and the black webbed feet. Sadness envelops her. She hurries on.

She needs something to erase the image of the black webbed feet pointed skyward. She is at the end of the blue now, before her are rocks and open water, she needs to find a happy story. She turns slightly and sees the spider web stretched between the blue rails, sprinkled with raindrops. There is a breeze lifting and releasing the web, but she sets up her tripod anyway. With any luck she still may catch a good enough photo for the day.

She hears footsteps behind her. A man with fishing gear. He stops beside her, and looks at the screen of her camera. "Oh, nice spider web," he says. They strike up a conversation. He knows a thing or two about photography, but from the film days. He has never quite caught the knack for digital. He asks about the lens she is using. She tries to explain an unconventional lens to him. She thinks he understands. He stays while she takes a few more photographs, watches the screen as the images appear. He shifts his pole and bucket to his other hand and prepares to depart. They wish each other good luck and a good day. She watches him leave. She has found her story.