Somewhere in Time

A Revealing Visit

                                                                                  The minute I heard my first love story,
                                                                I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was.
                                                       Lovers don't finally meet somewhere,  there in each other all along.... Rumi

The next morning, in a rain storm, Richard drove to a bungalow at the base of the Grand Hotel .
It was a stroke of luck that the author of the book on Great early American Actresses lived in town.

He knocked on the door, waited , then knocked even louder, determined that whoever was inside would definitely here him.

His heart began to sink when he thought that no one was home. But just as he was turning dejectedly, to return to his car the door slowly opened.
A small woman of around eighty looked up at him with hesitation.

"Yes, can I help you young man?" She hoped it wasn't another door to door salesman peddling vacuums.

"A hello, Miss Roberts?" Richard hopefully.

"Yes?" She answered

" My name is Richard Collier and I just finished reading your book on famous early American actresses and I really enjoyed it a lot."

"What is it you want? She asked guardedly

"Information about Elise McKenna." He hoped he didn't sound to bold and pushy.

She took a cautious step back and wrapped her cardigan more protectively around her.

"What sort of information?"

The words rushed off his lips.

"You see , I'm a playwrite and I was thinking of writing a play about her life."

But not really . How could he tell her of his burning obsession for a woman who's been gone from this earth for years? She'd think he was crazy.

She shook her head "I'm sorry." She quickly reached for the door to close it but Richard stoped her.

" Ma'm please don't." He was beginning to loose his calm demeanor. He hesitated for a brief moment. she waited patiently for him to compose himself.

"This is not for a play, Miss Roberts, this is something very personal."

" I don't understand." She watched as this handsome , tall , obviously troubled young man struggled with his emotions.

He reached into his coat pocket and retrieved the antique pocket watch.
Her eyes went wide as she recognized the object. It once belonged to her dear friend and now a total stranger had it in his possession.
"Where did you get that?" She blurted feeling incredulous.
She wanted very much to rip it out of his hands but refrained from such behavior when this whole scene was so surreal and sudden.
"Well, she gave it to me, Ma'm. At the opening night of a play I wrote up at Millfield College about eight years ago."

"That watch was very precious to her, she never let it out of her sight. She alway had it with her. It disappeared the night she died."
"She died that night?" Richard felt a tightness in his chest as the memories of her upturned face and pleading voice echoed in his mind. Now he saw with clarity the elderly woman's aged hand as she gave over to him her most prized possession then quietly walked away.
That was her!