The Unforgettable Stranger

A chance meeting with a stunning woman.

   

Have you ever passed a woman on the street who was so stunningly beautiful you wanted to politely stop them and tell them...no secret hidden agenda...no subtle hustle, just letting them know their beauty was noticed? She was like seeing a breathtaking painting in an art gallery...I didn't need to own or possess her. I was just taken by her beauty. I found it difficult not to stare. 

She chose a seat on the bus where no-one could sit between us.

 

I smiled and said hi, and in the friendliest tone she returned the hello. I married a beautiful woman, so I seldom found myself intimidated around nice looking women, but this strange attractive woman actually caused me to be a little nervous. After our brief exchange, I thought that would be the end of the stranger says hello to stranger encounter,and began reading the newspaper I had just bought.

 

"Do you read, a lot?" She asked,with a smile.

 

  "Only if its news about the end of the world," I said with a grin. She laughed. Even her laughter was magnetic; with it's lightness and sincerity. There was a slight pause, and then she spoke.

 

"Did you know there's bacteria on the lime they squeeze into your drink? I love living life on the edge."

 

 

She intentionally made the remark in an overly serious tone,one that really struck me funny. It was as if we were old friends. I couldn't believe the ease with which we were talking. We both laughed at the same things.I was surprised at how relaxed we had both become in such a short amount of time. I was happily married,but I loved the way my heart felt, talking with this amazingly beautiful young woman.

 

Finally,I asked her "Are you a model?"

After I asked the question,I wanted to take it back. 

She looked at me with her entrancing eyes, then, in an obvious, and playful way she replied. 

 

 "That's so ironic,I was about to ask you the same thing." She said with a sly grin. It was perfect timing, and we caught ourselves laughing, again. Then she said something that truly surprised me.

 

"Would you think me too forward if I asked you to share a cup of coffee with me? I know this nice outside cafe a few blocks from here, and I have a little time before I leave for the airport. I thought you were so friendly, and we hit it off...I wondered...if.."

 

Without thinking of anything else, I blurted out

 "I'd love, too." I wasn't trying to pick her up,but she was fascinating, and I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to hear her laugh more, talk more, feel this odd feeling just a little longer.

 

We sat outside on this beautiful morning, and talked almost non-stop. There were no awkward moments. I didn't feel as if she had a hidden agenda. It was two people, two total strangers who, for whatever reason, hit it off, and they seized the moment.

It was unforgettable, and I think she felt the same way. The time flew by. We had talked about a little of everything, then she looked at her watch.

 

"It's time, I can't believe we had so much fun, and were so relaxed doing it."

 

 "And, you didn't try once to hit on me," she laughed out loud, as she slid her chair back.

 "And finally, I didn't have to fend a woman off for a simple conversation." I said, smiling. There life had put us, for a second, I felt a twinge of sadness. I realized how rare such encounters were. I looked at her once more, as she prepared to leave. My God,she was striking,I thought to myself.

 

"Well,I guess I won't ever see you,again,but I just want to tell you what a pleasure it's been meeting you. You take care,and never,ever change that magnetic personality." I said, as she moved toward me.

 

Without warning, she laid her purse back on the table, wrapped her arms around me and gave me the sweetest, most heartfelt hug. She then tenderly kissed my cheek. I was caught off guard.

 

 

 

She picked up her purse...looked me in the eyes... then leaned in close to my ear, and whispered,

 "Good-bye, Dad, you were everything I've dreamed you would be." With that she walked to the street, and immediately a cab stopped. As she pulled away...she smiled, but it looked like she had a tear running down her cheek.

 

I stood there motionless, as my mind raced through summers past...

 

Reviews

[jenbem]

your stories make my heart hurt! in a good way.
this is very well written. I love these new prose/flash fiction pieces you've been writing, they suite you well.
I also love how I can't quite tell if any of your pieces are biographical or not, it takes a person who has many and deep life experiences to blur the lines between pure fiction and reality. It's why Hunter S. Thompson was so extraordinary (although he is on the opposite end of the spectrum from you!).
luck and best wishes,
jenbem

[All faded blue]

Nice twist to this, it caught me by surprise. You tell the story so well, one can feel the emotions as you go through the chain of events. Nice job.

[[untitled]]

Laugh out bloody loud Ray!! You did it again! I did not see that coming and that is fabulous. You told this story with such grace and truth that I was wondering how Sue would feel about it...then Whammo...a proverbial slap bang finish that made everything fall into place. I absolutely loved it...HA!!!
Cheers,
Helen :-)

[*** Hey Jude***]

You have an impressive ability to take myself as a reader down an interesting "reading road", and at the end leave me with my jaw on the floor. This was absolutely great! ~ Jude xo

[bluessadmood]

oh this is so nice you tell stories like we are living it right this moment ,in a very nice way ,yes you can never tell ,reality is it or fiction ,you style is great as usual ,please send all you can ,i never fed up reading you

[Carole]

What an incredible twist on both ends...Either you wrote this story as if your daughter was the stranger in the airport that you sat and enjoyed the coffee with, or you reminded this stranger of her father--that had possible passed away or maybe she had never met him...? I remember back in '92 after my Dad passed away and how everyone I met on the streets or passing by, reminded me of my dad. I longed to see him...just once. There were a couple of times, I wanted to go up to those people and tell them, but I resisted. I agree with the reviewer below that there is no line of demarcation between the fact and fiction....It's hard to tell with you...Rain. You make me think...I need that. Thanks for making the wheels turn. :-)

[Kelly Scheppers]

This totally threw me! I had no idea where you were going with this, and what a surprise it was! Wow, your daughter must feel awfully proud of you, and you of her!

It was my pleasure to read!

[Valentine]

Unlike Gary below... this piece blew my mind..The last paragraph came out of nowhere and wham..Great write I am very impressed..God bless..Valentine

[Gary Alexander Azerier]

I don't know what happened to my other critique...I went to eat...now it's gone!
I'll try again: Rules: My parens means LOSE IT...any suggestion following the parens is my suggestion/substitution! OK? OK! (Just a few graphs!)



Have you ever passed a woman on the street, or a hallway, (and they were) so stunningly beautiful you almost stopped (them) to tell them ? Not hitting on them, or a weak come-on, but (just) like seeing a breathtaking painting in a gallery... (3 DOTS = ELIPSES...FOUR DOTS IS AN ELIPSES AND A PERIOD. NO MORE...NO LESS!) you needn't own or possess it to admire (the) ITS beauty. (That's how she was.) She chose a seat on the bus (that was a seat) where no-one could sit between us. I smiled and said hi, and (with) IN the friendliest tone she returned the hello. I (am) generally DO not STAND in awe of beauty. I have always (went) GONE with beautiful girls, (and married a stunning woman, but she actually made me nervous).(THIS IS A FUNNY LINE!) I thought that would be the end of the "stranger says hello to stranger" encounter, and began (looking at) READING the newspaper I had just bought. NEW PERSON TALKS...NEW PARAGRAPH!

"Do you read, a lot ? " She asked, with a smile."

" Only if its news about the end of the world, " I said, with a grin.

She laughed and (then) said " Did you know there's bacteria on the lime they squeeze into your drink ? I love living on the edge." She said IT with an overly serious look, ONE that (really) struck me (funny) and we both began laughing . (as if we were old friends)

I couldn't believe the ease with (how) WHICH we were talking. We (both) laughed at the same things. I was shocked at how close we( had) SEEMED TO become in a matter of (ten) minutes. I was happily married. (I wasn't hitting on her,) (THIS IS A CRUMMY, TRITE, SLANGY PHRASE...YOU DON'T NEED IT.) but I loved the way my heart felt , talking with this (amazingly) beautiful woman. Finally, I asked her " Are you a model, (or something like that ?) "SOMETHING LIKE THAT" IS VAGUE AND MEANINGLESS. BETTER LEFT OUT! AFTER I asked( it ) THE QUESTION I (and immediately) wanted to take it back. (Instead)

She looked AT me (in the eyes,) (and said) "That's so ironic, I was about to ask you the same thing." She said, with a sly grin. It was perfect timing, and we both (cracked up) LAUGHED.

Then she said something that truly shocked me. "Would you think me too forward if I asked you to share a cup of coffee up here ?" I know this (really) nice outside cafe, and I (only) have a little while before I (have to) leave for the airport." (" )BUT I (just) think you are so friendly, and we hit it off...I thought...."

I HOPE YOU ARE GETTING THE IDEA! LET ME KNOW! SORRYT FOR THE DELAY...MY PC ATE THE EARLIER VERSION! LOL!
GA

[Starlit Scarlett]

This story reads like a real memory, it's beautiful. Like everyone else, I especially like the ending, it seems perfectly set up to continue through said "summers past" into the recesses of memory. I like the promise of expansion, but I love that it seems left up to the reader to fill in those blanks. Thanks for posting this, Rain!

[Legion]

What a twist of an ending. Great work. As for the rest of it, I've had something similiar happen to me in the last few weeks. It is an awesome feeling. Glad you sent this to me. Needed it. Two thumbs up. Way up! :)