What was going on?
The mist that I had just walked through was so thick that I could not see my hand in front of me. As I breathed, my lungs filled with the moist heavy air. I could feel the heaviness in my diaphragm. This was beginning to freak me out. I went from a sparkling sunny award winning day to an oppressive gray green mist. If I could not feel the crunch of the sand beneath my feet, I'm sure I would have gone into a complete panic attack.
I trudged through what seemed like an eternity but I'm sure if I checked my watch (if I was even wearing one), it would have been only a few minutes.
My perseverance paid off and I stepped out of the mist -- back into a beautiful day -- at the point where the ocean and sand vie in eternal conflict.
About 10 yards in front of me, I glimpsed a lone surf fisherman. I thought that I needed to talk to him -- see what gear he's using, what if anything he's caught.
My wife Annette and I had spoken many times about spending time on the beach, surf fishing and just being together. And maybe we will, if she'll even talk to me after the way I act.
I know!
I'll try and get some good hints from this guy that I'm approaching and then shock Annette with my new found knowledge and all will be right again.
As I approached the fisherman, I started practicing in my mind how I would start up the conversation with him and how I would pick his brain.
I was about 3 feet from him when he turned away from the ocean towards me. He looked directly in my eyes. I was startled by this presumptuous act on his part, but a bigger shock was coming my way.
He said,
"Joe, I've been waiting for you."
Whoa!! What was this? He knew my name? He was waiting for me?
I turned to go back where I came from.
"Please stay, we need to talk", he said.
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