"It's a rainy night in Paris, and I'm sitting by the Seine. It's a pleasure to be soaking the European rain . . ."
Billy Joel "Somewhere Along the Line"
The poignancy of that song was not lost on David as he sat, in the rain, on a park bench by the Seine river. In reality it was more of a light mist, and the evening was cool enough to wear a raincoat. The girl, Emily, with whom he had corresponded by computer on Skype for the better part of three months was supposed to meet him there. It was either divine inspiration or sheer idiocy that he suggested this meeting place. Although David lived in Colorado, and Emily lived in Washington, his theory was this: that any girl who would fly across the ocean to meet him must sort of be interested. If she didn't show up, well, he had a EurailPass and an open ended return flight and could see the countries he had not seen for several years.
(Sixteen days ago)
DancingCloud: I think it's time we meet - as people and not pixels and random 1s and 0s?
David_47: Deal. Where and when?
DancingCloud: You pick.
David_47: Ooh. Hard. Too much pressure. I can have until tomorrow?
DancingCloud: OK. Same time?
David_47: OK.
DancingCloud: Love you, David.
David_47: Love you, Emily.
(Fifteen days ago)
David_47: Friday, May 27th. Paris, France. By the Seine River at the intersection of Henry IV and Rue Schomburg. 6:00 P.M. Paris time.
(after a a pause of a minute or so)
DancingCloud: OK. Let's not talk any more until then?
David_47: OK. Love you.
DancingCloud: Love you.
And so that's how it went down. That's why he was here, in Paris, at the intersection of Henry IV and Rue Schomburg, at 5:52 P.M. this 27th day of May. The residents of the City of Light passed his bench, walking quickly to get home and a nice glass of wine.
A few glanced his way, probably wondering why he was sitting there. One passer-by saw David, and being a romantic at heart, saw him as waiting for his girlfriend or wife. The passer-by thought to himself, "She would walk up, they would hug and kiss, and walk together, hand-in-hand back to their apartment, their happiness at being together erasing the rain."
He was waiting for Emily, his girlfriend. It started by exchanging comments, then progressed to emails, messages and Skype. Over long conversations, almost daily, they shared secrets and fears and laughter.
Wrapped up in his thoughts, his heart sunk when he checked his watch. It was 6:12. No messages, no phone calls. "Do I have my answer?" he thought. Almost an hour later, no messages, no phone calls, no Emily.
Reluctlantly, he looked at the Metro map in his pocket to see where the station closest to his hotel was. He got up, shoulders slouched as he shuffled to the stairs going down to the Metro station. "No." he thought. "I'm not going out that way." He stood up straight, looked around and smiled at the beautiful city he was in the midst of. Every moment, no matter what happens, is a new adventure. Ticket bought, the train pulled in and he sat down. Curious to see what news app he could get on his phone, he cued up the screen. Looking up at him was a text message. It said, "look behind you."
