Summer was coming to a close. I had two weeks before I was to head back to school. I was looking forward to my sophomore year. Working construction was not my bag of tricks, but it put money in the bank, which I needed desperately.
This particular afternoon seem like it would never end as I drove home. Suddenly my car started making a flapping sound. Realizing that it was a flat tire, I pulled the car over to the side of the road and got out. As I walked around the car and saw it was the left front tire, I looked down the road to see if there was anybody that might be a good Samaritan. Not a soul around, I open the trunk and took out the jack and lug wrench to start this unexpected burden. Suddenly a voice called out "need any help?" I looked up and from out of no where was a man walking up to me. Oh my Gosh, he was handsome. "I really could, if its no bother."
He reached into the trunk and took the spare out and rolled it around to the front. I had loosened the lugs and the jack was in position. He grabbed the lug wrench from me and started jacking the car. I stood back, not knowing what to say or do. He was fast in changing the tire and I was ready to go in no time.
"Thanks," I said as he closed the trunk lid and wiped his hands on his jeans. "How much do I owe you?"
"Not a thing," was his reply."Where did you come from, I didn't see anyone around as I got out of my car."
"You past me back there, I was walking."
"Can I give you a lift then, I'm headed to Beaufort?"
"Sure, if that's all right?"
"No problem" was my answer.
As we drove, I looked him over and could tell he was in his early twenties. Tan, from being outside and body was in shape from whatever he did. "Do you live around here?" I asked.
"Yeah, I live with my Dad just before you get into Beaufort."
"What do you do for a living?" He looked at me, and then turned his head away and said.
"Special Forces."
"Oh, I bet that is cool?"
"I live right up here" he said, "just pull over and I will hop out and you can be on your way."
"Look I said, I owe you for changing my flat."
"No problem, just being a good Samaritan. He closed the door and threw up his hand in thanking me for the ride.
A couple days later, I was at the beach doing my usual stupid thing, trying to surf. Suddenly out of no where, was my good Samaritan. He said "hey, looks like when I run into you, you are needing help."
"If you can surf, I need all the help I can get. I sat my goal to get up on this board before I went back to school. It's been two months and I can't seem to get the hang of it."
He positioned me, "mount the board from the back and take both hands and hold to the sides and then use your right knee to push up slowly."
"Then use your left foot to balance." In three tries I was up. "I can't believe how easy that is!" He smiled and said,"just in knowing how."
"Looks like I owe you big time."
"You came to my rescue twice now."
"How about me buying you a drink?"
"O.K. by me" he said as we tied the board to the top of my car. "Oh by the way, my name is Joe?" He reached out and shook my hand. "My name is John."
There was a little cafe up the beach and we stopped in to get a drink. "Hungry, I said?"
"Little bit,"
"Let's eat, my treat." We sat and ate, talked about ourselves. John was home on leave. He and his Dad had bought a house at the beach after his mother died. He joined the Army out of high school and was stationed at Fort Bragg. Had toured in the middle east and was home for a few weeks before getting deployed again. I couldn't help but watch his shyness and yet how open he was to me. We talked about sports and girls and surfing. I guess he was as cool of a guy you would want to meet. He was handsome, but yet didn't jump out in a crowd. I noticed that he kept everything neat around his plate and his napkin folded. Suddenly I was brought back to realization, as he ask me, " what are your plans?"
"Sorry, I was listening to you. I plan to finish college and then go into some field of medicine."
"That sounds interesting, what kind of medicine?"
"I don't know, but it may be trauma."
"We can use you in the Army."
"Not me, I'm too much of a home boy." He smiled and looked out the window and said, "hey its dark and I had better get home."
"I'll take you."
"Thanks, I would appreciate that."
As we drove into his driveway, I parked and turned the engine off. "Won't you come in for a drink before heading back home?"
"No, its getting late, and your father may not want company this late, I'll take a rain check."
"It's a deal, would you like to hang out this weekend and I'll teach you some more surfing tips."
"That's great, I'll pick you up Saturday around 10:00 a.m."
"Sounds like a plan," and he patted me on the shoulder and got out of the car. For some reason, I felt something, that I had not felt. He was much more of a man than I was, but yet, he made me feel good and I enjoyed being around him. I had never experience this before.
I look forward to Saturday. John was ready to go. We surfed most of the day. Around four o'clock, I had to stop and rest. He dragged our boards up on the beach and came and sat down beside me. "Hey man, you are catching on quick."
"Thanks John, I give you the credit."
"I've never had a friend like you, to take this much time up with me."
"No problem, I've never had a friend who wanted me around long at the time."
"Oh go on, I bet you got more friends than anyone, especially your buddies in the army."
"Well, I do have my army buddies, but they are different."
"Most are married, or have girlfriends, but me, I don't have either."
"I'm just a loner."
"Well that's hard to believe."
He garb my head and put a head lock on me. "It's my time to buy" he said. As he took me down on the ground and penned me. "O.K. I won't argue, you got me." The next several days were out of this world. We spent a lot of time together.
The day before I was to leave to go back to school, John came over. He had something in his pocket. "I've got a little something here, I want to give you before you leave." He took it out and in his hand was a St. Christopher. I didn't know what to say, but looked into his eyes. There was silence as I took it and put it to my lips. "John, you are the best friend I ever had and I don't have anything for you."
"You have already given me my gift, and that is a gift of friendship, that will last me a life time." I reached to give him a hug, instead he took my face in his hands and gave me a kiss. It was a long kiss. I froze, not out of shock, but out of pure love for him. I returned the kiss. We held each other for a long time. "John, I hate to leave now and go back to school."
"I hate to see you go, but I will be leaving in a few days back to the army." I ask, "will we see each other again?"
"You bet buddy, I can't let you out of my life this easy. Let's write and that way we will still be together, but in letters for awhile."
I watched him as he left my house. My heart yearned for him and to another day of companionship. But it was more than that, I had fallen in love with him and he with me. Would I see him again and when? .