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A Timely Encounter – What Pegman Saw

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It’s Labour Day here Canada and in the States. If you’re not familiar with it, Labour Day is a national holiday in which rich people go out of town for a three-day weekend and have poor people wait on them. 😉  I would be one of those poor people who is working tomorrow…

Appropriately, Pegman takes us to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Grand Hotel has been a favorite vacation destination of Americans since 1877. If you’d rather skip the hotel, you have the whole of Mackinac Island to wander.

Your mission is to write up to 150 words inspired by the prompt. Once your piece is polished, you can share it with others using the linkup below. Reading and commenting on others’ work is part of the fun!

Thanks to Karen and Josh for hosting this weekly prompt.  This week I looked up just enough info to be able to use it but didn’t want to go the whole historical route.

 

 

A Timely Encounter

We agree to meet at the base of the stairs leading to Fort Mackinac at 3:00.  I arrive early and pace nervously, looking up the stairs into the blue abyss, wishing it would swallow me whole, wondering if I have completely lost my mind in agreeing to come.

I finally force myself to sit on the bench and relax, taking deep breaths of sea air, closing my eyes, feeling my heart slow to a steady beat.

Restored, I open my eyes and watch a man slowly make his way towards me.  He looks as nervous as I.  Still tremulous, I slowly stand when he is within handshaking distance…

BOOM! 

We both jump out of our skins in fright, our hands going to our chests in the same manner. Helluva time for the cannonball fire.

“Jesus Christ!” we yell in unison.  Looking at each other, we burst into laughter.

“Elisa.”

“Dad.”

 

 

 

 

47 thoughts on “A Timely Encounter – What Pegman Saw”

  1. Q,

    Timing really IS everything!
    Nice twist there. You had me thinking this was a first date, and then that ending. Boom! Like cannonball fire! And it makes me wonder as to their relationship. Which is most certainly your aim . . you clever girl.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Thanks, John. It sure was a pressure releaser! I like to think that making that first step is a good one. Then again, I do have that tendency to want to see the best side…

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Dale, I loved the story, had me holding my breath, and thank you for your hilarious explanation of Labour Day. We were in Vancouver for a few days in July 2004 and saw lots of signs referring to Labour Day and kept meaning to find out what it meant. We were lucky enough to be on Vancouver Island for Canada Day.

    Liked by 1 person

    • So very glad you did, Jilly. Actually, that was Karen’s explanation that I enhanced 😉
      Glad you loved my story and that it had you holding your breath!

      Like

    • Thank you, Kelvin. So very glad you did and that I used a word that resonated with you (I love when that happens, too)
      All is good on this side of the pond… Hope all’s well with you as well.

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Dear Dale,

    There’s a back story to this one I’m sure. You hint at it with her nervousness. This leads me to believe there has been a lengthy separation. But we don’t have to fret for long for the reader is satisfied with a joyfully explosive reunion. Lovely and left me smiling.

    Shalom and hugs.

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Well, that cannon ball certainly was timely, I think – it released a certain amount of tension in the air, will give them something to chat about for a few minutes before they turn to their journey and all the other small talk you skirt around before trying to tackle anything big. I too enjoyed your throwing us off target, there. Much more nerve wracking to meet an estranged parent than a first date – you can have more first dates but you’ve only got one father, for good or ill.
    Great story Dale

    Liked by 1 person

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