In another life
I want to tell you the story about a girl and a boy. Actually, it's a story about me and the man who was not meant to be. But we had that one night, that one single night that became unforgettable. And thinking back, it was like I was a part of a movie, watching myself acting.
A dark summer night downtown Miami. I was driving down Collins from Fort Lauderdale to meet up with my date, Henry. I had borrowed the company car for the night and I was going to pick up Henry when he got off his shift. As I was running late I hadn't taken the time to change, so I had my clothes for the night in a bag on the seat right next to me. And there he was - Henry. He was not really a boyfriend, but he could have become one. Was I in love with him? Not sure. But there was something. I suppose I didn't want to lose myself in complicated feelings as I knew it couldn't last. But I could live for that very night as if there was no tomorrow.
Henry took over the wheel. As for me I was changing my clothes in the car while he was driving. We hadn't quite decided what to make of the few hours we had together that night. Catch a movie? Have dinner? Just drive around? Ocean Drive - the Strip - has an amazing night life. It's full of bars, restaurants, hotels, people of all sorts. Daytime it's beautiful with its art deco buildings, photographers and fashion models working. But at night it's magical. We were walking passed Clevelander when I saw this young and very petite woman with a huge python wrapped around her body. I couldn't help myself, I just had to comment on that snake. And how could I say no when this young girl asked if I wanted to hold her. "Her" - it was obviously a she-snake. Before I knew it I had a 10-kilo python around my neck, and she made her way around my waist making herself comfortable. And she had a name: Melissa. The young lady and her date were coming and me and my date were leaving, so I gave Melissa back to her owner and we headed for the car and our next unplanned adventure for the night.
From Ocean Drive to Biscayne Bay. We found a little nice spot not far from a bar, in the corner of the parking lot closest to the woods. We were planning on going to the bar for a little something to drink - non-alcohol of course, as we were both driving - but first a little kootchie-koo. A young couple in love had some kissing to do before drinking that alcohol free cocktail. We didn't get very far though. Henry spotted a guy in the rearview mirror, staggering on the dirt road we had just parked off. "We got to get out of here" said Henry. Naive as I was I couldn't see why. Why would he care about us? "He looks like wants to party and if he wants to party with us we're gonna be in trouble". The young girl I was had never come across a possibility of ever staring into the barrel of a gun. So a quick look in the mirror, shaping my hair and finding my purse, I obediently followed Henry over to the bar. It was not very big and not very fancy, more like a little pub actually. There was some nice music of the late 80's and early 90's playing. We left our drinks on the counter and started dancing slowly and seductively. It was just the two of us, the music and the dim light. The voices and the faces of the people around us were fading away as we kept dancing. We had lost all track of time and space, just like in the movies...
There's an ending to everything. This romantic evening turned into night and the night was turning into morning. The break of dawn, that certain smell of humidity in the air before dawn becomes morning, it's really both magical and surreal and absolutely breathtaking. The night was almost over and a new day would start in a few hours. Henry thought I needed something to eat, so we stopped at a little diner's place at maybe 4 am, having an English muffin, Florida orange juice and a cup of coffee. Our date was over, time to go home, each to his own home (or hers, for that matter). I got behind the wheel and made my way back along Collins, driving straight into the fading light of Hotel Fountainbleu, leaving Henry in Miami while I was heading for my bed in Fort Lauderdale.
All those years ago... You never know the meaning of a moment until it becomes a memory.
Music: "Like they do in the movies" with Anna
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Miami skyline |
