I poured the milk over the cornflakes and I was just about to start reading my morning newspaper when my son Peter who was 10 years old at that time surprisingly asked me a question:
"Dad, how did you meet my mom?"
Since it was Saturday and the bad weather has changed our plans for the weekend, I decided to spend some time with him and tell him the whole story.
Of course, Peter. I'm surprised that you haven't asked me earlier. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. It happened on a warm August day two years before you were born....
One of the few really warm days given I was on the North Slope. I was in a small village helping setup a medical supply and minor treatment center. The locals were all used to the constant cold but not I, my blood was not thick like theirs. They ran around in short sleeves and shorts on days I was bundled up like any other day I spent in the village. We were near enough to Barrow, but still a day long ride on the snow mobile.
As happened on these warm days, most of the village spilled into the "streets", more like elaborate paths, and basked in the sun and warmth. I had decided to take a break from my work stocking inventory in the tiny little warehouse we had setup, and was sitting on a bench in front of the building. I must of sat there for a good half hour, just watching the village enjoying the day and basking in the night time sun, when the sound of the helicopter approaching began to echo between the buildings.
I watched the helicopter approach from the south and circle around the village a couple of times before landing. The village all seemed somewhat surprised and did not appear to be expecting the arrival. The blades finally slowed and the doors opened and a group of 5 people stepped out and walked directly towards me. They all looked like they had just stepped off the side of Denali, they even had their harnesses on still.
"Can I help you?" I asked them.
"You're Steven Whittaker?" A dark haired, tall man asked me.
"Yes." I told him, asking, "who are you?"
They proceeded to tell me they were from the large oil exploration firm and that apparently there had been a major incident at one of the mining operations and they had been made aware that I had a stock of medical supplies. I don't know why they chose me to ask for help as there were other places closer, but it was very fortuitous because this is how I met your mother.
"I told you that 5 people got off the helicopter, right Peter?"
"Yes, you did."
Well, of those 5 people, 4 were men and one was a woman. I did not find this out until after I had invited them into the warehouse and they began to remove their coats. I was absolutely dumb struck. She removed her jacket and cap and the amazing black hair fell into the sunlight shining from the window behind her. I was so dumb struck that I didn't hear anyone talking to me until I felt the hand on my shoulder.
"You okay?" The lead man asked me.
"Sorry, yeah." I said as I snapped back to the room, but I could not keep my eyes from stealing glances at her. It was as if my eyes were metal and she was a gigantic magnet, sucking my gaze at her from across the small room.
I helped them to gather needed supplies, making an inventory list and invoice for the mining company that I made sure to include in the supply pack. The boxes got loaded and the 4 men hauled the boxes to the helicopter. Your Mom stayed behind and we chatted about the mine, the North Slope, and the village. I still don't know how I managed to talk to her that whole time, my stomach felt like a vise had it. I am amazed that I even remember what we talked a about.
"You know the feeling you get Peter, before jumping off the cliff at the lake?"
"Nervous?"
"Close enough. It's kind of a mix between nervous and afraid."
My clarity finally returned about the time the 4 men returned from the helicopter. They each thanked me in turn, but your Mom, your Mom had a hold of my heart that day and would not let go. Her voice had kept my rapt attention like no other had ever done before. The tone and quality of it had ensnared my mind and heart. That day she had harpooned my heart and was taking it with her. To this day I still hear her voice from that day echo through my memories.
Before she left the warehouse I made sure to get her contact information and I gave her mine. It was not the easiest to get together to meet after that since we both worked in extremely remote areas of the state. I think we saw each other twice the first month, and that was only because we happened to be in Barrow at the same time to resupply. The scarcity of our time together made it all the more important when we did see each other.
"How did you contact Mom if you were in a village?"
"Good question Peter. The medical supply warehouse had a satellite link to the outside world. We used it to keep in touch with the state Red Cross headquarters. They are the ones that payed for the supplies and the warehouse. That's who I was working for then. I managed a couple of conversations with her in late September as the summer was ending."
My work finished up in the Village in mid October and by the beginning of November I was back here in Seattle. I was interviewing for jobs around the city and had managed to get an interview with Halliburton Exploration, the company your Mom worked for. The interview was a total disaster and I did not get the job. The interview was so bad in fact that it became a running joke, as your Mom later told me.
It was the week before Christmas and I had been arranging to go see your Grandparents for the holiday. I remember I was trying to figure out the cheapest way to get to Salt Lake City and was not having very good luck. I had been in a fowl mood for most of the day, but the phone call changed everything. I answered the ringing phone and was completely stunned to hear your Mother's voice. Apparently my interview was soooo bad that everyone it seemed had heard of it, though that was for a reason.
Your Mom was back for the holidays and happened to be at the office working on paperwork when she heard of my disastrous interview. The way she tells it, she knew it was me the moment she heard the story. She says she had to call in a favor to get my number, but I think they just gave it to her. But that was the phone call that changed everything. Eleven months later we were married and a year later you were born.
This is my entry for Creative Writing Challenge - Task #9 - Continue The Story put on by @steemfluencer. The details of the task are:
Take a look at the text below. This is the beginning of a story. Your task is to finish it.
Directions:
be as much authentic as possible (if you are in doubt if you should describe a lot of actions or just one action in great details choose the latter)
try limiting the dialog and put accent on describing feelings
if you think it's suitable, use objects to describe ideas (we've partially exercised this one in one of the previous tasks)
I poured the milk over the cornflakes and I was just about to start reading my morning newspaper when my son Peter who was 10 years old at that time surprisingly asked me a question:
-- Dad, how did you meet my mom?
Since it was Saturday and the bad weather has changed our plans for the weekend, I decided to spend some time with him and tell him the whole story.
-- Of course, Peter. I'm surprised that you haven't asked me earlier. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. It happened on a warm August day two years before you were born....
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