Particularly, the Lunar High tide. That is the tide that happens when the moon is full and particularly the overnight where the pull of the moon sends an unusually high bubble of Ocean around the world to flood the harbors and estuaries that rim the Seas. That increased bubble of sea sets afloat all sorts of things that are not properly secured and it is the fortuitous beach comber or the attentive sailor who happens upon the exciting things that are set adrift and wash ashore.
This weekend, we had the "Buck Moon". According to the Christian Science Monitor, and much local lore, it is called the "Buck Moon" because that is when the Native Americans began to notice the new growth horns sprouting on the male version of the White Tale Deer heads. This weekend if your eyes were to the skies, you noticed an unusually bright and quite large moon over head. And if you were by the sea, you noted the pronounced lows and an unusually high highs in the tide.
That is the how the weekend began for me.
On Thursday, much to my surprise, I was informed by my crew that a navigation mark now firmly resided in the middle of our Marina between B and C Docks. How did it get there? From whence had it come? It turns out, it drifted in from its station quite passively on the morning high which was unusually high and the morning watch had missed it as it floated free from the ground and settled into its new berth smack dab in the middle of our dock.
It took some doing, but we managed to free it and return it to its proper location on the low tide, but this would prove to be a harbinger of things to come in on this weekends tides in the overnight hours that might set my course in a new direction.
The next day, while the pull of the moon grew, the sun shone brightly and the weather was perfect for a lunch date by the River with what would turn out to be, I think, the most amazing woman I have ever met.
We hadn't met in person yet but had exchanged texts and messages online. I knew a bit about Her from Her photos and words and using my oh-too-curious mind, managed to Google Her and learn a bit more. I felt pretty secure before we set down to lunch that I knew She wasn't a walking horror story. But otherwise it was a blind date. You never know what the tide will bring in.
She had a Caesar, I had a shrimp and pear salad. We both drank water. The food was the least of our concerns as the person that sat before each of us was an exciting mix of mystery and I think attraction. We talked the banal chatter of newly met strangers and we felt each others presence as if trying on a new garment- Do I like the feel? How does it look on me? Does it show off my best assets? The lunch lingered way past an hour and the waitress impatiently asked us time and again, " Would you like more water?" as if to say, " would you please leave, I have people waiting to sit who will spend more than just a couple of salads and waters?" You couldn't blame her when after nearly two hours, she dropped the check in a huff.
This amazing lady reached for it, maybe halfheartedly, perhaps to test me to see if I would reach first. I beat Her to it, and quipped, "You didn't think I would let YOU pay for this?" I felt like an ass as soon as I said it, but She politely smiled as if to say, "No but I have been burned on first dates before, you passed".
Soon after the check was taken care of, I probed the conversation to see where the tide would take Her next. Was it a port of call I might visit so we might coincide again? She told me She had a party to go to after She wasted the rest of a beautiful afternoon sitting in Her office and that I was welcome to join Her that evening at the party. Some how I missed the invitation and I told Her of my plans to go see a friends band later that night. Feeling the conversation slowing, we noted the vessels in the River and I commented on one particular mast that seemed to loom over the fly bridges and antennae that filled the river bank. A woman that can make conversation out of the spaces in between has a true talent. She suggested that I might enjoy seeing that vessel closer up, and I agreed, so we decided to go into extra innings and walk down the dock to find the vessel that sat beneath that over-sized mast.
We walked slowly down the dock, almost ambling. I fully expected to be kicked off the dock and embarrassed by some over-zealous dock hand as we approached the target, but the two passing dock hands said nothing as we passed them, greeting them good afternoon. At the end of the dock was a HUGE sailing vessel nothing short of 120 feet. A lovely young girl sat some 20 feet up, polishing a fixture but otherwise the dock was ours. It was there I believe that the conversation increased in temperature when she turned to me and said, "Wouldn't you like one of those?"
We walked back towards the nearly empty parking lot, which was now prepping for a dinner rush and saw that the 3 O'Clock hour was at hand. A three hour first date is a very promising start. We prepped for landing by commenting on how well we both felt this had gone. I ham-handedly reached in to give her a hug, unsure of my chances if I went for a kiss. Her arms wrapped around me and felt Her body say, "You have permission", but my New England purity felt it ungentlemanly to kiss a woman in broad daylight. I sheepishly pecked her cheek as I withdrew, my y-chromosome chastising my conservative sensibility. I missed my chance. I quickly invited her to dinner the next night, thinking it was a second chance to make a first impression and She smiled saying that would be nice. It was agreed we would meet again.
She got in her jeep and drove off. I saw Her turn right and I went strait when we reached the first light. But I felt I had messed up. Was this the end? Did I blow this already? WHY DIDN'T YOU KISS HER YOU ASS???
I thought to save this, I now had to come clean. Tell Her your faux pas and beg for Her forgiveness. I texted Her, "I really wanted to kiss you, but it was a lunch first date and I wasn't sure if was appropriate. That's why I suggested dinner tomorrow night." I hit send and immediately kicked myself for not coming up with something closer to what Rhett Buttler would say, like "Frankly my deah, I was saving our furst kis for a more romantic oppatunitee" Thirty seconds ticked by like centuries as I waited for Her reply and my phone buzzed with its water drop signal, "bloooonk". A message had arrived. I opened it almost afraid to look, it was from Her. "Maybe that is why I said yes". Another "Blooonk", "to dinner that is."
We chatted back and forth a few more times, I felt a wall had come down. I could be honest with Her, and not risk total rejection. I still had to be on my best behavior, but a connection had been secured.
We both went back to work. I returned to my apartment for a quick nap after work to prepare for the long night ahead of cocktails and loud music. I didn't know how important those few minutes of sleep would become and had no idea what the lunar tide would bring next. But I knew I had to keep some powder dry for the next night's events so I figured I would take it easy.
I dressed and put on my most youthful grunge music outfit. Snapped a quick selfie feeling I looked unusually fashionable with the glow still lingering from the day's events. And wandered into the early evening.
The sun was just setting and the sky was still quite purple above, but a glow grew on the eastern horizon. The moon was making its approach.
Walking into the bar, I saw a crowd two deep. I cringed, this was not what I wanted to deal with. Unsuccessfully craning my neck attempting to secure a beer from the frantic bartender, I decided to sit down at an empty table in the hopes that some waiter would take pity on me and bring me a drink rather than make me fight for it. I thumbed the menu, nonchalantly, looking for anything that nourish me enough to want to do a night at the bar. I texted Her, not expecting an answer, expressing my displeasure with the bar. I felt my phone vibrate. It was Her. She asked if I was having fun and I said that I was waiting for my friends band to start playing and was getting something to eat. She told me she had been at the party and was having a blast as well and that there was tons of good food where She was. Again I missed the subtext. I decided it was too dark to type in the bar and wandered towards the dining room.
I asked the Maitre D if I might get a table to grab a bite and was seated at a two top up against the wall of the half empty dining room where I ordered a gin and tonic and some tuna sushi. My phone sitting on the table buzzed loudly and set the silverware shaking. The three other couples in the restaurant eyed me with contempt. She recognized how dull I was being and repeated Her hint with another message to me suggesting that I join Her at the party. The food had just been ordered and I needed to see at least one song of the band and I had irritated everyone else in the restaurant, but at that moment, I assessed how quickly I could suck down 6 pieces of raw fish with chop sticks. I fumbled with the fish, stood against the bar for two songs, and hopped in the car to see this amazing woman under a moonlit sky.
When I arrived the street was dark. I saw cars and heard voices, but it clearly was getting late. Not wanting to walk in to a strange place unannounced, I was unsure of how I would make my entrance. This woman sensing the situation, set my mind at ease offering to navigate the darkness and bring me in to safe harbor when I arrived. I saw Her jeep and parked across from it, knowing She had to be close. I told Her that I was there and She said She would be right out to get me.
Through the dark, I could see her lovely smile and brown hair. Her silhouette sauntered towards me with an air of confidence and She said, "Hi- you made it." I could tell Her senses were in conflict. On one hand She wanted to see me, on the other, She wasn't sure if I would embarrass Her in front of her co-workers. I was offered a beverage, I took a water, we sat down in front of the fire and shared pleasant introductions to the half buzzed crowd. Unsure of what to say, I hesitated to begin any conversations that might draw my attention away from Her or garner any undue attention on Her from the others. I sat quietly watching the fire.
Sensing my awkward silence She looked to me and said, "Are you sure your not hungry?" I said I was fine, but pallets of food continued to be passed in front of me. So I took a bite and we began to discuss food as a way to pass the time. When the pumpkin cake made its rounds and my water glass was empty, I leaned to Her to say that I might bid her good night. She said, "I think I'll be leaving soon too, we can walk out together."
We arose from the fire and She said, "I have to stop for a moment please excuse me" I turned back towards the fire and she stepped towards the dark and we bumped into each other. My face came within inches of Her lips, but we pulled away before contact was made. But my spine tingled at the feel of Her.
As we stepped further into the darkness the conversation continued. How nice it was to see you, I am glad you came, I look forward to tomorrow. We walked down the street towards Her jeep and stopped at Her door. The moon was full and bright and not even the crickets made a sound. The muffled voices around the fire rose and fell in the distance. And in the moon light I could see her beautiful eyes looking at me asking, "Are you going to do it or not?" I leaned in, my lips nearly missing Hers. I felt Her nose brush against my cheek and circled back for another try. The excitement of the first kiss from such an amazing woman was so entirely awkward, but so tantalizing that I instinctively grabbed the nape of Her stunning neck and pulled Her lips into mine. It was there we connected finally after a day being pulled together by the lunar forces.
The kiss lasted the rest of the night. The moon rose and set. The bullfrogs called throughout the night and the dew began to fall. We dodged the car lights and sheepishly wished the exiting party goers good night. For a dead end street in the middle of the night, we had so many interruptions. But none could break the moons grip that held us together that night.
When the party quieted and the night turned to early morning we realized that the moons hold was weakening. Sleep was calling and a new day would tear our kiss apart. We committed to each other to ride the tide as long as it would last, but knew our time was short. I held Her and kissed her hoping to divert Her mind from sleep and the slow brightening of the dawn. All the while we were seeing the tide ebb and wishing it was instead coming in. The approaching morning light exposed the many rocks and sand bars, one by one, that could hamper our course ahead but the moons hold on us gave us the strength to continue the kiss. And then it happened. The first bird of the day called.
I have never rued the dawn the way I did that night. Who could know that the suns early light could tear down something so stunning made in the moons beautiful glow. And that the sweet chirps of the morning's first bird could sound like shrieks coming from the tree tops. And just like the tide, one might curse it and scream as their vessel goes aground at its cruelty and indifference as it rushes out to sea. But for every high tide, so must come the low. And with every dusk so must come the dawn. And with the beginning of every kiss so much come the parting.
We said good bye, thoroughly exhausted and drained. I can only imagine how the midnight mating rituals affect those species that cross the great midnight divide to keep the line alive and how their delicate bodies get taxed to perform such integral functions. The moon prompts turtles to return from the sea to risk life and limb to deposit eggs on the beach. Throngs of crabs cross highways in the darkenss to mate on the full moon high tide only to be crushed by passing cars and hungry birds on the way back at dawn. And in Long Island Sound, clouds of sand worms take to the waves to mate on the full moon tide only to be devoured by Stripers in the early morning light. Like the beasts, for six hours in the middle of the night, She and I were pulled together by the Buck Moon light with a kiss that lasted not nearly long enough. And when the dawn rose, our bodies were battered and exhausted. Our minds and spirits lay tattered on the hood of a jeep wrangler. And the pull of the moon waned.
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