The Jetty

11

I was not aware of the queerness of the day, or even the restless feelings urging me to 2

pace about the shadowed drafty lodgings of this summer cottage. Yet, quiet as awareness 3

crept in like the thief of night, the raspy clinging urge of restless fever came upon me.4

The fixings of a Cape Cod style cottage, as the small yard before had its orange lilies in 5

full bloom, and the lawn clean and trim. It was a pleasant place to relax in the quititude 6

that I deemed necessary to calm my frayed nerves like an anointed balm. Yet the fidgety 7

feeling crept in deeper still, as I became uneasy in my summer rental.8

I had no call to be this unnerved by absolutely nothing, and I felt the getaway for a 9

summers stay upon the relaxing shores of Chatham to be just the fix for my big city woes. 10

It was after all the first real vacation I had taken in years. I went for a morning stroll 11

upon the beach as the fog rolled in like a summer mist, the beauty of Chatham and this 12

shroud of fog I found oddly taken with. I usually would not fuss about with such a thing 13

as to be swooning over fog rolling in on a New England beach. I soon found my self 14

walking with a lady of quiet yet striking features; she had a sensible and temped stare.15

Yet she was not bookish or even shy, as full figured and eye catching, a glowing rose you 16

could say. The quiet hushed intelligence within her pale blue eyes had my heart pounding 17

right out of my chest as she quietly asked, “ do you mind if I walk a while with you, kind 18

sir, my name is Libby,” as she extended her hand to me.19

The color faded from my cheeks, as her soft cool hand had an energy to which I had been 20

unaccustomed. But never the less we walked a ways on that foggy beach and even 21

ventured upon a jetty as the waves of the sea crashed on the rocks around us. Such a 22

pleasant company as we simply walked, her society was filled with pleasantness and 23

calming as I had first experienced in the cottage, yet we hardly spoke this first day of our 24

little walks. 25

2 26

“I did enjoy this walk Robert” she exclaimed with a temptresses smile 27

“ I do hope we can walk again Libby” I said, “ I am here for the summer.”28

“That is grand news” She said, “ How about the morrow at the same hour?”29

“The morrow it is” I agreed, and at this we parted ways.30

I felt her absence while I paced the cottage grounds, and yet had that sublime feeling of 31

calmness was upon me. I weeded the garden and fed the wild rose bush, it had such small 32

tenderly pink blooms upon it, as its fragrance had me longing for Libby’s society once 33

again. I retired to the front porch of the cottage in the late afternoon sipping a glass of 34

iced tea sweetened with a sugarcane stirrer and thought of that mornings walk. 35

It was odd that I had not heard her approach, and yet it seems it was fate as well.36

At any rate I was happy to have made a new friend.37

338

I awoke the next morning and was sipping my early tea, sweetened as before with the 39

sugar cane stick, though in my hot breakfast tea was a slice of lemon as well. As I sat 40

upon the front porch with my mug of tea, slowly there began to creep upon me that self 41

same felling of uneasy restlessness. I cannot begin to explain it for it bolstered upon me 42

the same as before, the peaceful rest of early morning. The songbirds were chirping as I 43

noticed the house sparrows seemingly at play in the lawn. The sun had been fully raised 44

for at least an hour or so. I decided it was near the hour as the day before, so I went for 45

my stroll down the near by beach. I was at once astonished as before, as the mist of fog 46

began to roll in as I began my morning stroll just the same as the day before. I noticed I 47

was put at ease and that restlessness had faded, just as my friend had emerged before 48

from the morning mist without a sound. 49

450

“Good morning Robert” she seemed to sing as a playful smile crossed her lips, “ I trust 51

you slept well?” She asked.52

“ Fine” I replied with a grin, “ it is such a pleasant day, and such luck as a fog two days in 53

a row” I had commented.54

“ It is beautiful,” she had said while wrapping her arm around mine.55

“Are you enjoying you vacation here?” She had asked with a curious glance.56

“In your company my dear Libby,” I had answered “ I could stay forever.”57

“ Oh Robert” she said laughing coyly, “you make me blush.”58

559

I had no idea how my comment that day would later impact my life, yet I had meant it 60

earnestly for I was enjoying her company. As before we had walked the whole of the 61

beach and spent some time walking; as we strolled out upon the jetty again, the waves 62

crashed into the rocks. She seemed even more radiant than the day before.63

664

Today we parted with a promise to walk again on the morrow. Libby leaned in and kissed 65

my cheek, the rush of my heart pounded through my chest. “Now it is you who have 66

made me blush dear lady,” I said smiling. And she leaned in and we kissed again.67

768

I returned to the cottage and once more attended to the relaxation of gardening, as I 69

watered the lilies and the roses. That feeling of kissing Libby seemed to haunt me; I 70

wanted to feel her near. In the late day sunshine I retired to the porch once more with the 71

iced tea, and thought of that mornings adventure. The kiss had once again captured my 72

memories. 73

874

The phone rang, as I was about to enjoy my evening meal, it was the landlord James 75

Hatcher. 76

“How are you enjoying the beach?” He had asked me.77

“ Quite well old boy,” I replied, “ I have encountered fog the first two mornings of a 78

stroll on it, yet I met this fascinating vibrant young beauty named Libby.” 79

“ Strange that there be a fog two days in a row in New England,” He had said, “tell me 80

more of this young woman you met.”81

“ We walk the beach and out to the jetty,” I said all within the fog, “ She is a local girl 82

with strikingly beautiful features.” 83

“Do you know her last name,” he asked.84

“ I am not aware of it at the time Mr. Hatcher,” I had answered.85

“Ok Robert,” he said worried, “you be careful now you hear?”86

“I hear you Mr. Hatcher” I had responded, “ Have a good evening now.”87

988

I had thought the phone call quite strange, yet thought not much more about it.89

As I had plans to retire to bed and read a bit of a Henry James story to calm my nerves.90

Quite strange that an old New England ghost story shall have a magical quality as to ebb 91

away the worries of the world and have me forget the passage of time so slowly.92

1093

I awoke the next morning and enjoyed black coffee, and made my way to the porch as it 94

neared to the time of the last two mornings. That odd feeling silently crept with urgency 95

this restless feeling grasped hold of me. I made my way along the path out to the beach.96

By this time the fog once again rolled in and Libby snuck up upon me once more, as I 97

enjoyed the company of her society. She kissed my cheek as she wrapped her arm around 98

mine again, and I mentioned again how I could be like this forever.99

11100

“Let us walk the jetty Robert,” She said with a gleam of excitement in her eyes.101

And we walked out upon the jetty shrouded in the morning fog. As we made it to the 102

jetty’s point the fog began to part, and I for once beheld Libby in the morning sunlight.103

She looked quite beautiful as I hardly noticed the coolness of her hands anymore.104

“We will be together forever my love,” she said as she leaned in to kiss me fiercely.105

I had not at this time yet noticed a change, yet she returned with me to the summer 106

cottage. “ This is where I live,” she said, “and you have come so near my heart.”107

“What ever do you mean my lovely?” I had asked.108

After a long moment she had spoke, “ Your wish my love has been granted, we are to be 109

together forever, a quiet honeymoon of sorts, as you are never to leave here.”110

Now I was alarmed, but she hushed me and had simply said, “Remember the fog that 111

came before me each and every morning?” And I nodded that I had, as she continued,112

“ That is because I am, and now so are you a pure spirit, a ghost if you will.” 113

And she leaned in and kissed me again, and I knew as I felt no heat nor coolness in her 114

that what she said was true. “ I fell in love,” she had spoken, “ with you on that day you 115

first arrived, as it is your soul come back to me again across the span of time.” 116

“I am not sure I follow you my love,” I had spoken.117

“ In the time before I had passed I was much in love, and death had stolen me away 118

now all these ages later, death has rejoined our souls for eternity.” And she held me fast.119

12120

The local papers had reported the next morning that a man had washed ashore, matching 121

my description. He had apparently wandered out to the jetty during a thick and 122

mysterious fog, and fallen into the unseen waters. And of this I can testify since that day 123

all our walks have been quiet and sunny, we depart every morning and return every day 124

round noon, she sits upon the porch as I toil in the garden. We are both unseen to Mr. 125

Hatcher who brings a tenant once and again. But we have each other, my Libby and I.126