A Canal

Michael and Paula were two young adults on their last date before they both went off to college. Deciding to walk by a canal, they were hand in hand as they strolled along talking about their respective schools, and making plans for the future as all unknowing young people in this stage of life would do. They were in love but what they didn't know was it was a teenaged love and remarkably these relationships usually don’t work out in the end, but they were young, and who were to say, this relationship would not become the fairy tale. The evening was giving a gorgeous sunset as they stopped and sat on a patch of grass to watch the water pour into the canal. Michael was a little worried, he would be in North Carolina, she would be in Los Angeles a full continent away from one another she was a beautiful young woman, cheerleader at one time and she was to study fashion, he on the other hand Michael was in the school band who was to study music. Michael had to ask her "Paula do you think we're going to make it is long way from each other". Paula was waiting for it "Michael I love you and there is no way another man is going to make a difference to me". Michael wasn't too sure but he was willing to go on faith. The next day came and they said their goodbyes and off they went; for the first two years it was fine they looked like they were to defy the odds but then Michael turned 21 and Paula was admitted as a model in a fashion magazine. The first week came and neither one had time to call, the second week came and they talked on the internet but after twenty minutes they were making excuses to get off the computer, after that it was emails and then it was nothing. Michael was accepted into a frat and Paula was in a sorority and the severance was complete. Paula finally called Michael one night after a party knowing in her heart it was over. "Hello Paula what's up?" Paula was full on with what she wanted to say. "Michael I called to ask if you felt the same way that we're too far apart and our relationship has fallen apart." Michael sigh of relief said "Yes I agree we're different people now but I'm glad we are agreeing on this, so let’s make this short and sweet, I'll stay in touch ever so often but nothing serious, sound good?" Paula said a little sad but in compliance "Yeah that sounds good I'll talk to you later then, goodbye". After they hung up the phone they went their own ways, Michael went to the bar with his brothers and Paula went to the club with her sisters. Five years passed by and they lost touch altogether eventually and hadn't talked for three years. Paula was working in New York for a fashion magazine's editing board, and Michael who nearly didn't graduate was trying to find anywhere who would take a classically trained guitarist. The only job he could find however was working retail back in his old home town. One night on a trip to Nashville Tennessee with a friend of his from college Michael was in a bar. He had his guitar with him because it was open mic night and he thought he would sing and play a song he had written. Michael’s name was called and he walked up to the stage, it was an appropriate place because it was a country song that he played around with every so often about his life. The words and music moved all who heard it, and without knowing it a producer who was in the audience wanted to give this song to a recording artist in town. Michael saw his opportunity and said to him; “You can have the song if you hire me as a writer and session guitar player." The deal was struck and he became a regular on the guitar circuit. Two years later Paula was working for a woman she felt was a dictator and saw her job as a dead end road to nowhere, so she packed up all her belongings and threw them in her car and got away from New York. As she was driving she noticed the spot where she and Michael dated it had been over eight years that they promised to love each other all their lives in this spot. Sometimes promises seems like a distant echo of a former life, and this one certainly felt like one of those, as she walked along the canal and got to their spot and she sat down in that same patch of grass. "Oh Michael why did we let it change us". She asked herself out loud. "I don't know you tell me you’re the one who called and we broke up". Paula turned around and smiled a gentle smile; it was like a miracle there was Michael. "Michael what are you doing here". "I was going through my old things and I found a photo of this place and I couldn't stop thinking of you really, so I called my boss and told him I was taking a trip for a few days and drove straight here" Paula told him all that had happened to her after their last massage and Michael told her what had happened to him and how happy he was in Nashville, he also told her of a fashion consultant position opening they had there. Mostly however they talked, talked all night long about hopes and dreams from what they want from life to nothing at all. At the end of their conversation they found themselves with feelings for one another again. However to rekindle a romance takes time and neither one was in a hurry they wanted to enjoy the feeling they had for each other again.

A short year later near a familiar patch of grass where the water feeds into a canal, a family had gathered together to see a familiar couple saying “I do".