Night on the clouds

Suddenly a bright beam of light coming from above illuminated everything.  A shiver ran through my body from my head to my toes and my heart raced, I felt panicked.   The engine stalled, I pressed the gas pedal deeper, I pumped trying to get the engine running again while I was dialling Mary’s number on my phone…. nothing… no phone, the car rolled to a stop.  The light was light blue, transparent, cold. What’s going on…?

I was coming from Arequipa on my way home to Lima.  I like driving during the nights, I get time to think and there is less traffic.  I have been working in Peru for the last three years researching anthropological icons, for a private research group from Switzerland.  Mary and the kids are in Lima, enjoying the benefits of living in Peru.

What’s going on…? –I thought. There was a strong smell of hot wires mixed with burned tires in the air, something weird, a new smell. There was a high pitch noise like a gyroscope, invading the space, like the noise in a small airplane cockpit. The light was quite bright and steady, I didn’t know what to do.   I could feel an electromagnetic field around me, my hair was sticking up and I could feel the static current all over.

I didn’t moved until my heart recovered.  My head was spinning, thinking what’s going on, my scientific brain was trying to compute and it was failing.   My fear had taken over, I was paralyzed.

It must have been around 10 minutes I guessed since my analog watch was dead as well as everything else in the car.   I decided to take a look around.  I opened the door and made sure that nothing was going on outside and slowly stepped out of the car, with my head down, as if preventing being hit in the head.  Nothing was happening, I straighten up and look around.   I could see around 35 feet that were lit by the beam, nothing was moving around.  I tried to look up towards the source of the light but it was too bright, I couldn’t see. I covered my eyes with my hand…. nothing!

“Anybody there?” -I shouted with all of my lungs! The high pitch noise was overwhelming. I walked around the car to check, everything looked OK.  The noise began to change pitch, started to become quieter and lower pitched. Suddenly it was quiet, not a noise, it was way too quiet. The light was still the same, like from a giant flash light.

 I ventured to shout again, “Anybody there?”.  I walked by the road reaching the limit of the light beam and I bumped into something solid, invisible, that didn’t let me continue. I tried with my hands, it was soft but firm, warm.  I tried the sides and it was the same.

As I turned around to go back to the car, my skin got full of goose bumps one more time, another shiver ran my through body from head to toe.  I felt my heart was going to jump out of my chest.  There was a figure by the car, tall, with a shape like a man, like a…… Martian –I thought. I tried to call for help, my voice was gone and my throat was dry, cloudy, not a single noise came out of it.  I don’t think I breathed for many minutes.

 The thing was standing in front of me about 30 feet away, my back was pressed against the invisible wall. I wanted to run. The thing was staring at me, it was all aglow, I could not distinguish anything in its face, like eyes, nose or mouth.

I heard a voice in my head, it was asking me to come.  Telepathic transmision? My scientific brain began to work one more time.” Come here” -it said. “We know you are afraid…. We want to ask you some questions…… we want to talk” -the voice said. We I thought? There are more of these things?

The noise was gone, the static current was still present, I was getting used to the light.  My back separated from the wall and I started walking slowly to the thing.  Both of its arms were reaching out to me, like inviting me to come.  Every hair in my body was erect.  Calm down -I thought.  Nothing, there was no reaction from my body, like something else took over it.

I stopped when I was 10 feet away.  The silence was profound, I could hear noises that didn’t exist.  “What do you want” -I said. “We want to talk to you… nothing bad is going to happen to you” –the voice sounded in my head as the thing walked towards me and held me by my arms.  In that moment the shivering was like waves in the ocean, constant, rhythmic, sometimes big, sometimes small, constant.

As it touched me, something happened that I can’t explain, we were somewhere else. In a room, like a command centre, everything was white, no forms that I could define except other bodies or things like the one I met before.  I assume that I was on their vessel.

There must have been five of these things around me, it was quiet, they all touched me, suddenly I felt calm, calmer than ever. I was staring at them and I assumed that they would be doing the same, they did not have any contour like me.  Their touch was warm, soft and gentle.  I felt energy flowing between me and them. I felt that we were connected directly though our brains, I was calm.

I can’t tell how much time this lasted. I lost interest in the details around me as I connected with the things.

I am not able to explain how it happened, suddenly I was back in my car, sitting at the wheel.  It was dark, quiet and I could feel the damp of the night coming through the open window.  I felt surprised, my scientific mind had recorded a special event, hard to explain, but real…. –I concluded as I was turning the key to start the car. I felt I had acquired some knowledge, a unique experience.  Who could I talk to about this tomorrow, I wondered.

I felt relaxed, not tired, actually full of energy.  I drove the whole night recollecting the events.   I had clearly decided to keep this event to myself, like I had agreed to it, something was telling me that I could reconnect with my “new friends”.  I thought I had some important insights into life in the universe and the benefit of this for me and my family.

In the early hours of the morning, I called Mary. I had been with Mary for 20 years already and we had a very special relationship.  The phone rang three times, Mary picked up.  “Hi Mary” – I said excitedly, “how are you…? Do you have time to talk now…..?” “I love you..”-she said “I want to know all about it…. How was it?”

“I have to tell you what happened last night” –I said excitedly.  “I know…” -she said.  “How do you know..?” -I asked puzzled, I had a hunch that she knew more than I thought. “They came to visit me too and we talk about you and your encounter” –she said calmly. 

Wow, it was true, we were in contact.

Lady in Red

The waiter was bringing me Linda’s red high heels on a tray.  It was a hot summer day, and the central Caribbean waters were gently petting the white sands of the beach behind me.  It might have been around 4 in the afternoon, the sun was baking over Montego Bay, Jamaica. I had a slight head ache still.

Linda and I met the night before.  She was standing by the beach looking at the water, her light red dress was dancing with the wind revealing her extraordinary body.

I couldn’t resist coming and meeting her.

I walked to her and I said -“Hi…. what a lovely afternoon, pardon my…..” all of the sudden I was speechless.

She turned around and looked at me with her beautiful blue eyes, she smiled.  “I am Paul” -I said…” I couldn’t resist…..” -I babbled while my face was getting red. I offered my hand, she took it, we shake hands, -“I am Linda” she said.

I could feel my heart pumping in my chest.  -“This is my first time here” -I said while I was devouring her with my eyes. I was hoping that my face was not revealing my curiosity. –“I am running away from work and my family”, I said.  No quite sure what I wanted to get with that line.  I felt nervous. Why?....- I couldn’t tell.

She smiled, her face was glowing, the soft breeze was moving her thin blond hair. It was funny, I was telling a complete stranger thing that I would not dare to share with my friends.

-“I am also running away”-she said, “from a bad marriage”.  Something happened, I felt a connection between us and we started slowly walking by the beach.  It was getting darker.  We walked without saying much.

For no reason I started telling Linda about my summers at my parent’s home in Newport Beach, were we spend two month with the family every summer. 

I was telling Linda that Newport Beach is like a French Impressionistic painting….it's a magical place with stunning views. Like the Rock of Gibraltar or the French Riviera, cars line up on weekends filled with visitors seeking opportunities to share the dream on a five mile stretch of land referred to locally as the Newport or Balboa Peninsula.  Intimate sand beaches, a jetty called "The Wedge" where surfers test their skills, two piers, the Fun Zone, Balboa Pavilion, Newport-Balboa Ferry boat, harbour cruises.

We walk to the Bayside Restaurant where the French windows flung open to let in cooling sea breezes and make dinner a truly wonderful treat. We chose to seat under the almond trees and bright blue umbrellas on the terrace overlooking the scintillating sea.  The place was half full and the soft murmur of the patrons was perfectly mixing with the music from a piano and the ocean allowing us our own private conversation.

Linda ordered the Spicy Calamari and Conch Stew and a Yellow Tail Snapper Papillotte, “good choice, sophisticated woman” - I thought, and I went for the Black River Shrimp Cocktail and a Lamb Rack Dijonnaisse.  I was inspired, relaxed, I ordered a bottle of champagne.” "Moet & Chandon please”  -I said to waiter.  She smiled at my choice. The waiter was fast to bring the bottle and served the tall glasses.

“A votre santé” –I said while rising my glass to meet Linda’s. She smiled again.  Her face looked relaxed, childishly excited.  Her hair was swept over her face covering her eyes, “cute” mmmmm… “Sexy” - I though!

The conversation jumped from one story to the other, sharing turns to share the funniest times of our lives.

The food was great and the champagne was doing its job, I have always liked champagne, is light and flow nice.

I ordered a second bottle, “the same” -I said to the waiter that didn’t take long to come back.  My head was beginning to gently spin, my shoulders were coming down like when a weight had been lifted, I slumped in my chair enjoying Linda and the scenery.

I was wearing a white shirt and white linen pants, white socks and shoes. I stood up with my glass in my hand and asked her to come with me, we walked to the piano, where a black man was playing Elton John’s music.  I hold her by the waist and we started dancing.  By the end of the dance she let me go and went to talk to the pianist.  Suddenly she turned and started singing “Lady in Red”.

I stood by, holding myself to a chair close by, seeping the champagne. The patrons murmur silent.  Linda was singing and everybody was looking at her.  I was ecstatic.  “Way to go Paul” –I thought.

Linda went on singing and singing, the pianist was excited, smiling and complacent to Linda’s requests.  The waiters were standing behind, enjoying the music. 

After a while, and the patron’s applause, Linda, radiant thanked the pianist and grabbed my hand and walked to our table.  Every eye in the restaurant was on us. “You are a box of surprises” –I said.  Since when do you sing? “You are beautiful too” -I said, encouraged by the effects of the champagne. Linda smiled at me, approving the compliment. “Naaa...” she said, “it’s the champagne”.

The third bottle showed up and the waiter filled the glasses with a genuine smile in his face, everybody in the place was stearing at us.

Linda stood up and sways her way to the pianist, he was expecting her with a generous smile, showing his white teeth.  She asked him and the piano started playing the soft melody from “Phil Collins - Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now).  I was in love, my problems were gone.  I didn’t even knew where I was, I was being carried by the music the breeze and the champagne.

A big man in a table close to the bar stood up, he had a mustache, black hair slick back.  He was wearing a beige suite with a Hawaiian shirt.  He came determined walking towards Linda. I did not notice him at the begging, nor Linda that was immerse in her song. 

A shiver traveled around my body, I anticipated something wrong. I stood up like a spring and watched him slapping Linda’s face with his big fist. I saw Linda flying in her back to land on the edge of the piano.  I don’t know which force through me on top of his back.  That’s all what I can remember.

Summer Love

She was tall, like me, 5’9” thin, thin long dirty blond hair, with a nice curvy body, just what I was looking for. She looked like Peggy Lipton from “The Mod Squad”. I was attracted to her the moment I saw her and I knew that I wanted her. I didn’t know her name, I had seen her, perhaps last summer, around…., by the beach….? -Couldn’t tell.

That morning I walked to the boat house as always with my orange bag with the sails and sheets, I liked to be there early to have a good day sailing.  As I was passing by Henry’s house and I stop to say hi and see if he wanted to come out sailing with me that day.  The day was pleasant, the sun was shy through a thin layer of clouds. 

As I was walking in, I saw her, my heart stumbled, my blood rushed all over my body that I could feel it.  I could smell the little bushes that grow around the ocean mixed with the salty humid morning breeze, it was a mixed if sweet and salty smell.

“Hi”- I said. As Henry noticed that I was coming.  She turned to me and smiled, “Hi, are you going sailing today?”she asked.  “Teddy this is Fran” –said Henry. She was pretty, exactly how I had remembered…. or imagine? –I though.  Ferdy was coming out of the house and said Hi too.  Wow -I thought, Henry and Ferdy are Fran’s friends and I didn’t know, lucky guys, they sure have an advantage over me, darn… How do they know her…?

“Can I come sailing with you?” –she said as she turned to the guys.  “I’ll come too” -said Ferdy. “I can’t come today” –said Henry.  We say bye to Henry as we started walking to the boat house.

Soon after we were sailing, Ferdy, Fran and me. Sailing was uneventful the breeze was gentle and pushed the boat without effort.  Ferdy and Fran were engaged in a light conversation most of the time and I limited to sail. We sailed for most of the day. I wondered how could I, find something to talk to Fran all day, like Ferdy…. I was puzzled.

Back in the land, we started walking home.  Happy and excited I grabbed the orange bag and swing it to my shoulder.  We said bye to Ferdy that was going in a different direction.  Shortly Fran said, “can we go sailing tomorrow?” as she pointed me the house her mother has rented for the summer.

Horseshoe Bay was not big, the walk from the boat house to my parents place was short 15 minutes, the road was narrow and you had to watch for the scattered traffic.

We chatted about her mother and three brothers, about their interests until we reached her house that was up in a small hill.  She was 14 and I 16……  I wondered how come was she interested in talking to me, she was so good looking to hang out with a guy like me, I thought.

We said bye and agree to come by tomorrow morning to get her for sailing.

Same time next morning, grabbed the orange bag and head to Fran’s.  Knock at the door.  There she was, pretty as the day before, I took a good look at her face, her eyes were honey and her smile was broad but proportionate, her ears were poking through her thin hair, perfect -I thought.

After meeting her Mom and brothers we head to the boat house, I didn’t know when we started talking and how it began, I felt at ease, excited but not overly excited.  We jumped in the boat and started sailing, we talked about my family and hers, about school. The time flew, we were returning home same as the day before, I still felt great, more at ease, I felt that we were buddies.

In the way to her house, we kept on talking and talking.  At her door she told me, “see you tomorrow at the same time for sailing”…. “of course” –I said.  I’ll come by.

That is how all started, we spend every day together, inseparable. We would meet with the rest of the guys, but always together, without needing to ask each other.  One night there was a party that we were invited, I came by her house that evening to go to into town, her house was in the fringe of Horseshoe Bay and mine was in an adjacent farm.

It was the 70’s and I wore longer curly hair and I wore bell bottoms, a hippie shirt and belt.  I was a hippie! 

At the party there was a bunch of people that we often met at the beach and hang out.  There were a couple of “popular” guys that, since Fran was the most attractive girl from the bunch, were interested in her.  I fear that I could lose Fran to these guys, and I didn’t know what to do.  In those days when I didn’t know something I just waited and see what happened.

The music was awesome, The Boxer was playing as I was dancing with her, close.  She was light, easy to dance with, her smell was heaven, nothing special, just heaven!  She stayed by me the whole night, we talked to everybody, we laugh, we enjoy the evening like best friends that we were.

The summer flew by and the time for her to return to the City came.  From our daily conversations I pictured her house in the City, her schools, her friends.  I kept the smells we smelled, the sounds we heard, the sun, the beach, everything.

She left one day and I was left lonely, the days seemed to be greyer than ever, I felt cold.  Most of the guys had left to the City too and there was a whole month before we were returning.  I was pushing myself to go sailing and swimming every day, it was not the same.  I was looking for somebody or something fun to do, nothing seemed fun anymore. I missed her! I terrible missed her! What was that.....? I wondered.

My mother used to drive to the closest town every morning to get fresh bread and groceries.  One day, two weeks after Fran had left, my mother returned from the town and handed me a letter.  A letter....?  from who? My heart jumped.  My eyes couldn’t focus on the sender, I didn’t recognize the writing…

I opened the envelope when I found a safe place to read, I was sitting in a rock facing the ocean.  The wind was caressing my face.  My heart was running fast.  She said that she missed me, and she asked how was Nico, one of our friends.  Unsure of the significance of the letter I was confused.  My head was spinning, nervous, exited and mix of everything.  My sisters were making fun of me, they were saying that I was in love, and singing sons.

I prepared myself to answer the letter, I was confused, and I didn’t know what to say. More than anything I didn’t want to look like a fool. 

Finally.... I wrote her back and told her that nothing was like when she was here and that I couldn’t wait to see her at the end of the summer and that I missed her too..... 

Why I Like To Write...

While at school I never did like to read, actually, I never read a book.

This all happened when I was perhaps 17.  For some reason, I can't remember, I had lots of time on my hands and my Dad had a room with a wall full of books.

One day, out of the blue I picked up one of my Dad's books and started reading.  I began to devour the words, the pages, it was fascinating.  I began to imagine the places, the colors, the sounds and even the smells the writer described.  When I finished the first book I felt thirsty for more.

Since then I have read all kinds of books, good ones and not that good,  I have even read books that I did not understand.

I thought about writing myself, my head started spinning with ideas and it has not stopped.  I didn't think I had stories of my own to tell, and during the years I found myself telling stories here and stories there.  Well, now is the time, the time to start, to give it all, to be.

I can see myself writing in a little cottage by the ocean.  The cottage is white, with light blue discolored trims and doors, the windows are open and the curtains are dancing with the ocean breeze.

I'm sitting at my desk, flying, dancing, surfing on the waves.  Laughing and full of joy!     

Matilde Contreras

One day last summer I received an email from Matilde Contreras. I replied fast, excited to get in contact with her, after all these years. I was curious and asked her to tell me about her life.  Few days after I got this long email full of news, something caught my attention... it was her way of writing, it was fun and clever, light and catchy.  She told me she was a writer!

That was it!  I was fascinated, I wanted to be like her, expressing my ideas in that way, having people hooked to my story.

I remember Lala, as we called her, when I was perhaps 12 or 14 years old. She was tall, straight long black hair, big black almond eyes with a generous smile in her blue uniform from school with a white shirt. She was attractive -I thought.

What a good surprise that email, It was about her grandma, she was being nominated the most important bicentennial woman in Chile. 

She was my aunt Amanda. When I think of her with a needle in her hand ready to poke me, she was one of the first woman M.D. in Chile.  I enjoyed spending hours after lunch listening to her always knowledgeable and at times edgy conversation and after going to the theater every Sunday night. I learned to appreciate the Theater with her. 

I spend an afternoon during my visit last December with Lala, talking non stop, smoking agitated by the strong coffee and the heat, fascinated by her stories.  That day I choose to be like her, a writer.

Here are my first steps into my new future, Ernesto Salvador Dominguez...... the writer.