Charlie meets Ruby

I decided to go for a walk.

Dropped down the stairs and hit the street, turned right not left and saw her sitting on the grass by the edge of the cliff looking out at the water.

A dog ran over to her and she cuddled it.

The dog's owner stared at his phone.

She turned and we made eye contact and we knew we knew each other.

I said to myself if she's still there when I come back, I'll go and talk to her.

I kept walking, dropped down the hill took off my shoes before the beach and did five sprints up and down the sand.

I watched a young girl play with her dog. Throwing a stick into the waves and the dog swimming after it with such spirit it energised me for the adventure ahead.

The water washed the sand off my feet and I put my shoes back on and walked uphill back towards her.

I got closer to the bend. Where you can see the cliff but not the edge. Bushes and trees in the way. Not sure if she'd still be there. I'd like her to still be there.

I kept walking.

I'll be able to see her in a second if she is.

She was.

I breathed into my balls and walked over.

It's a good view you've got here, I said.

It is, she said.

What are you reading? I asked.

She showed me the cover. Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil.

No way, I said, I've got that book on my desk.

She invited me to sit down and I did.

A smiling woman cuddling dogs reading Nietzsche sitting on the waterfront watching the sunrise inviting me to sit down. Yes, please.

I'm Charlie, I said.

Ruby, she said.

I've seen you before, I said.

I've seen you before, she said.

You used to work at the pizza shop.

I did.

I remember calling and ordering from you.

I remember too. I got off the phone giggling and the others asked me what happened and I said I think I just spoke to Prince Charming.

Ha! I do love phone calls. The next time you were outside the colourful cafe and I was running with my friend.

I remember that too.

I'd like to go for a walk with you sometime, I said.

I'd like that, she said.

I'm free now.

So I am.

We got up and walked through the park along the edge towards the headland past Josh's place, he was there and waved and I waved and he smirked and yelled out.

You should watch out being around him.

Him being me.

We all laughed.

Perhaps I'd be worried about such a first impression in the past.

Not this time. I felt a strange sense of confidence that things were going to work out.

See, he warned you, I said.

We climbed the rocks and found a good spot.

I looked at the water and then back at Ruby.

She wore a fantastic straw hat.

It held her hair snug.

And cast an unforgettable shadow on her eyes.

We talked about ideas about philosophy about food relationships family.

She told me of her frustration in the morning, before we met, writing it down, writing down how it might be from a lack of companionship.

Good timing, I thought. Look who's arrived.

I told her about the coincidence of opposites, the idea I'd been pondering in the morning and been pondering for the last few weeks and months.

How something implies nothing, self implies other, black implies white, distress implies enjoyment, life implies death.

Without the opposite of something, you'd have nothing to reference.

Without everyone else, how do you know who you are?

Without a lack of companionship, how would you know what true companionship feels like?

She nodded to agree but her faced looked as confused as it did kissable.

I pointed to the island across the bay.

Told her about how my family and friends go there every year.

The trip was six months away but it felt like our encounter already had the momentum to make it.

Do you like tea? I asked.

I do, she said.

I've got a nice balcony, would you like to come and have tea with me?

I'd love to, she smiled.

Her smile made me smile a big smile.

We walked back along the water, talking laughing drawing circles in the sand balancing on rocks.

I picked up a few pieces of trash.

An eye sore on the grass, how could anyone walk past such a thing?

Diluting the beauty of nature.

It's a habit, I said, one piece of trash every time I go for a walk, sometimes more.

She liked that.

I didn't do it to show off. Or maybe I did. C'mon now. No, no, I do it off my own accord. Yes, that's it. Because it makes a small difference. It makes where I walk look better and it makes me feel better. Selfish, yes. But if I feel better, perhaps I might pass that good feeling on later.

Back at my place, number 13 on the hill, I showed Ruby around.

I already knew I wanted to kiss her.

Now only searching for when.

You can see the city out the back balcony, I said.

And you can see the water from the front balcony.

It's a cool place, she said.

I turned the kettle on and prepared the teas.

She sat on the bench and kicked her legs with excitement.

Do you drink milk? I asked. Real milk? I had to make sure. She said yes. Thank God. There are so many milks these days. Oat, almond, soy, soy lite, soy lite almond mix, most BS.

Cheers, she said.

We sipped tea and looked out over the water.

I'd had enough of the sun and went back inside to the couch to continue the conversation.

The whole morning flowing. No effort. Jumping between topics. The conversation creating its own levels, like water.

She told me about her studies.

Teaching, psychology, music, teaching music, playing music.

She plays many different instruments, loves to write, loves to listen to me read and enjoys my writing. We have that in common.

I bounced around my apartment showing her my creations like a magpie showing off its collection of shiny things.

I read her a few more of my works.

And she looked at me with the most beautiful eyes.

Birds flew behind my head.

Ruby pointed them out.

I turned around.

Rainbow lorikeets, she said.

She'd told me earlier rainbow lorikeets were her bird.

It makes sense, I thought. Their colour, her colour.

They showed up whenever something significant happens, she said, they did this morning before we met and now again.

I turned back around and said well, that's as good a sign as any.

I'd found my when.

I leaned in and kissed her.

One kiss turned into two into four into ten into eleven into three hours of kissing on the couch.

I pulled away and looked at her and kissed her again and again and laughed.

Laughed at the whole scenario.

A few hours ago we didn't know each other and now we're making out and feeling each other's bodies my hands on her legs her hands on my arms and talking as if we'd known each other for years.

One of those rare occasions when you meet someone and your energies mix without a stir.

I'd like to see you again, I said.

That would be lovely, she said.

She wrote her number on a piece of writing paper and signed off Ruby with a smiley face.

I'll call you tomorrow, 1:17 pm, I said.

And then I did.