18. Eudora’s Knight

The rhythm of the rain reminds the roaming reminiscing romantic that the tree top fog had dissipated. Some other pilgrim may notice the change in weather. Clouds coast along the night sky, mysterious and emancipating simultaneously. Sometimes some wet wanderers are not aware how or why their cigarettes remain lighted in the rain. While others still unknowingly puff away at rain soaked butts, unlit , as they gradually fall apart. The river runs rapidly and the banks can wash away any indication of the previous presence of once welcomed wrestling lovers and nested geese. The great space that once allowed vessels of various sizes flow freely under the bridge to nowhere can be narrowed by the rising waters only permitting the passage of a lonely log drifting aimlessly downstream.

 

Sundance dashing from the bedroom to the fridge for two more beers for himself and his momentary lover asked Isabella

 

“Where’s Jake?”

 

“Oh, he went out for one of his famous walks in the rain” she said annoyingly looking up from her textbook.

 

Sundance grabbed a third bottle of beer and squeezed himself onto the couch where Isabella lay. Making sure the bedroom blanket adequately covered his lower half of his body he gifted the third beer to Isabella.

 

“To Jake!”

 

She raised her bottle half-heartedly in response.

 

“I guess.”

 

Sundance continued,

 

“Ya know I remember one night last fall when it was pouring so hard my family frantically scrambled to look for Noah’s boat design in the bible when all of a sudden there was a ring at the door bell. There stood a drenched worn down pilgrim who had just walked seven or eight miles during that precursor to the probable great last flood. He looked like a pathetic puppy abandoned along some unmarked county road in the middle of Nowhere Ville, New Jersey. And, yet…I couldn’t believe it …and yet…there he stood with his big silly grin standing in the doorway as my mother answered the door and he says ‘Hi, Mrs. Cassidy is Sundance home?’ Good ole vagabond soaked Jake standing there just as if it were a same as any other night.

 

My mother looked around and didn’t see his car and as she invited him in she inquired ‘ where’s your car? Did someone drop you off?’

 

He wiped his feet and responded

 

‘No ma’m. I walked.’

 

My mother called out for me and demanded that I get him some dry clothes while she made some fresh hot chocolate. Though I apologized for my mother Jake was unusually grateful. My younger brother thought Jake was cool and my sister just said ‘weird’ and both left us alone in my room. He didn’t say much of anything about why he was there, something about butting heads with his father again. I tried to change the subject and soothe him by playing the song ‘Yesterday’ for him. I was proud that I had just figured out all the chords. I am not sure but I think I saw his eyes well up as I played my rendition of the song.”

 

Isabella listening intently now touched Sundance’s hand

 

“ I know about that night. “ she said and continued

 

“Jake did tell me about that evening was how welcoming and hospitable you and your family were. I know he is still grateful for your friendship. But at the same time that’s Jake. It seems like he is drawn to walking alone in the rain almost as if there are voices calling he can’t resist.”

 

Sundance took a swig of his brew as he heard Diana’s voice call from the bedroom

 

“Where’s that beer sweetie?”

 

“Well, duty calls and I am here to serve you know. He’ll be ok. He always is isn’t he?”

 

Isabella smiled

 

“Yeh , I am not worried. Now go live up to your duty and I can get back to my studying.”

 

Isabella was quick to get lost again in her studying and the next time she looked up from her books three hours had passsed since Jake had made his departure. Coincidentally, as she checked her watch again to see if the time was really what she thought it was as she heard the front door open slowly. Jake was not too effective in being inconspicuous squishing his way across the parquet floors leaving big duck like wet footprints.

 

He saw Isabella awake on the couch

 

“Hey, you ok?”

 

Isabella smirked

 

“I think the question is ‘Are you ok?”

 

“Yeh, just a little wet. I need a drink. You got any smokes?”

 

Sometimes certain exchanges are better off not to pursue or to continue the path down a certain line of questioning. Sometimes silence is the best course of action. She was totally aware that if Jake wanted to talk about where he had been and so on he would have presented himself at her feet immediately upon passing through the portals of Diana’s castle giving full report of his short pilgrimage with accompanying eight and a half by eleven black and white glossies if he could.

 

He grabbed a beer, found a communal cigarette pack on the kitchen table and chugged the bottle and smoked a butt all in what seemed to be one big inhale.

 

Isabella couldn’t resist and succumbed to her nature

 

“Are you sure you are ok?”

 

“I think me and Sundance need to head up to Walden Pond tomorrow and spend some time there before I head back home.”

 

“Ok. I wasn’t really expecting you guys to be here in the first place. You talk to Sundance about this? “

 

Isabella sat up and continued

 

“This is kind of abrupt isn’t it? Anything happen out there?”

Jake slowly began to lie down on his back finishing off his cigarette.

 

“ I don’t know. It’s weird ya know. There I was walking along the Charles River when I saw this dark figure standing on the outside of the railing on the bridge that crossed the river. I went up to this person and it was a girl. Actually she looked a lot what I imagine my sister would have looked like if she had lived. So I asked this girl if she was ok. She mumbled something of how her fiancé’ was MIA in Vietnam and how no one could give her good answer or any hope. I think she was crying. I really couldn’t tell with all that rain. When I asked she said her name was Jen and I reached out to help her back to the walkway side of the bridge. Without any discussion we both just strolled together, just talking about general stuff: weather, Boston  …you know. I saw a coffee shop still open and asked her if she would like a cup. We went in and just like that this girl just went on an on talking for a couple of hours about nothing specific, just talking bout stuff. I just kept pouring coffee trying to keep awake and listening while she went on about this and that. When we walked out the coffee shop she squeezed my hand, said ‘your sweet’ and gave me a quick peck on my cheek. She turned left and walking up a hill disappeared from view and I came back here. I have no idea who she was, where I was, how I got there or how I got back. It’s just all very strange, ya know. I felt like I should have a catcher’s mitt or something. “

 

Isabella joined the speculation

 

“Maybe this incidental encounter is one of those mystical planned coincidences as to why you came up here with Sundance in the first place. Maybe that’s why you ended up at Diana’s. Maybe that’s why you felt called to go out and walk in the rain. Maybe you were meant to meet that girl and in some way save her. You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind’s blowing, so let it be.”

 

She was teasing him but Jake took everything she said seriously, as always. Jake bent his head rubbing his eyes and answered

 

“Yeh , but maybe it was all a dream. ”

 

“Well don’t over-think or over-analyze it like some populist pundit philosopher or fledgling English professor! You might hurt yourself.“

 

Isabella thought twice about her curt remark and then leaned over to the floor where Jake was lying down and whispered in that sweet seducing soft voice to Jake

 

“I am sure you were helpful to that girl .You do give good ear, Jake.”

 

“Wha?”

 

“Jake, you must be tired. Let it be.  Get some sleep and maybe you are right …maybe you need to just head home tomorrow.”

 

Jake was almost completely asleep on the floor by the time Isabella could get back to the couch. She picked up her books and muttered

 

“Ah, just another night in paradise.”