It was a foggy July evening at 6:47 PM. Cassidy had been waiting for her boyfriend, Mason, to arrive for seventeen minutes now. “Where is he” she thought “We were supposed to meet at 6:30 so where the hell is he? He would’ve called or texted me if the plans had changed I hope he is okay.” Cassidy sat looking out onto the harbor. It appeared to have gone on as far as she could see, for the fog made the harbor appear to transcend into the ocean.
Cassidy was sitting on a bench thinking of her first date with Mason. It was on July 21, 2006, two years ago from this week. They went out to the local pizza joint, Andy’s Pizza, and then came down to the harbor and talked as the sat, with their feet in the water, watching the sun set. The sun’s reflection turned the ocean hues of orange and red- a truly beautiful sight. Cassidy loved that first date. She said she would never forget it. Mason made a very good first impression, which obviously stuck for a very long time.
At 6:56, 19 minutes later, Mason arrived at the harbor where they were supposed to meet. He did not look well, with his hair scruffy and a scratch on his head, which was bleeding.
“Oh my God, what happened to you? Are you okay?” Cassidy was very concerned about Mason.
“Yeah, I’m alright. I was in a hit and run accident two blocks away on Milton Way. A black Honda hit and sped off, but don’t worry, I am okay.”
“Oh my God. It looks like you might need stitched. This scratch on your head is pretty nasty looking. Let’s go get it checked out. I’m just really glad that you’re okay. I was really worried.” Cassidy leaned into Mason to give him a hug, but she went right through him. “What was that? What happened just now?”
“Wait, what are you talking about?”
“Mason, are you serious? I just tried to give you a hug but I went right through you like you were a ghost.”
Mason looked at Cassidy as if he had no idea of what just happened. “Okay, this is really creepy. Let’s just go.” Mason went to grab Cassidy’s hand but the same thing happened.
“Mason, it’s almost like you’re… a ghost. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah, I feel fine I swear. I am a little in shock and my head hurts but I honestly feel fine.”
Cassidy and Mason got into Cassidy’s car and drove to the Emergency Room, which is usually empty in this small town of Melville. After about 15 minutes of waiting, Mason was called and as it turned out, Cassidy was right, he got five stitched in the right side of his head, but he was okay. Mason reunited with Cassidy in the waiting room and then they returned to their original destination0 the harbor where they sat for their first date two years ago.
When they arrived, Mason and Cassidy took off their shoes and sat at the end of the harbor with their feet in the water. They both sat, looking adoringly into each other’s eyes.
“Mason, I love you. I don’t ever want you to leave me.”
“ Cass, I love you too and, trust, me, I will never leave you. We were destined to be together. You make my life complete. Happy anniversary.”
“Happy anniversary.” Cassidy went into her purse to grab her camera but when she turned around, Mason was gone. “Mason? Where are you? C’mon I’m not in the mood for games.” She paused, frantically looking around. “Mason?” She became very nervous. “Mason, this isn’t funny. Where are you?”
Her eyes darted open. Cassidy was lying down in her bed looking up at the ceiling. She was confused and looked over at her alarm clock, which read “Jul. 19.” When she read this, Cassidy started crying her eyes out. She realized, today July 19, 2008 was the day of Mason’s funeral.
At 6:47, Cassidy went to the harbor, the location of her first date with Mason. She went down to the end and sat with her feet in the water. She looked out to see the sun, with its shades of orange and red. She had just come from the service, her eyes puffy from crying. She sat, with an ocean coming from her eyes, thinking of her beloved Mason. Her tears were uniting with the ocean, thrashing against her legs. She sat looking out onto the glow illuminating the evening skies thinking of Mason, the man who vowed to never leave her. She realized she would never hear his voice again or never feel his kisses or hugs. Cassidy sat there for hours, thinking of her Mason, who was no longer living, just a ghost, whose memory would always be embedded into this harbor of transcendence.