Beautiful skies

Mi nI remember the day Barry and I watched the sunset on Broad Beach in Coa-coa-cay in the Virgin Islands. The sky was filled with white fluffy cumulus clouds in the east and the combined colors of orange, purple and red to the west. The warm air that comin off the water was circling around our cool bodies.

"It is so beautiful here", I said. "I wish we could stay here forever."

"No you don't. You would grow weary of it soon or later." "Besides, I thought you wanted to write about the world.

"I do". "And I want to explore it with you." He smiled, and then kissed me tenderly. "Well, I am holding you to that promise."

The following day we would be going our separate ways, but promised to keep in touch.p

I will never forget when Barry and I first met. I was at the impressionable age of 17; old enough to be with boys, but too young to have had any actual experiences.

My parents had been planning a cruise as a graduation gift for me since the beginning of my senior year. I was graduating from Betsy Ross Academy with honors and would be attending Barnard College the following September.

I was a home body and happy to stay in my own backyard, but my parents wanted me to sew my oats and enjoy my youth before tackling college life and the adult world. So we left for the Virgin Islands on the maiden trip of the Holland America.

The ship was immense with luxurious lobbies that lead to winding staircases. It reminded me of the ship in the movie Titanic. The ship had a mall with popular brand name stores, restaurants and a movie theater. I chuckled to myself when I saw it and knew exactly how I was going to spend my days.

A steward led us to the elevator and pressed the button for the eighth floor. We had been assigned a state room with an extra suite for me. The room was quite spacious and the beds were large enough for more than one person.

We were scheduled for second shift dinner, and I took the free hour to discover the ship. As the ship left port, the waters turned choppy and literally knocked me off my feet. At the time I was enjoying a Gelato and fell forward into another passenger and we both went flying, landing near the plaza's fountains.

"Oh," I said to the guy on the ground. "I wasn't expecting the boat to lurch like that. I am so sorry. I got chocolare ice cream all over your pants.

He looked down and took notice of his appearance. He laughed heartily and said "no worries, I hated these pants anyway and I was just on my way to change when you crashed into me."

"My name is Barry Rubin and who do I have the pleasure of being bowled down by.

"I am Judy Scher, and I am here on this cruise with my parents. Were from Long Branch, Minnesota."

"Well, Judy it was nice meeting you. I guess I better get back to my room and change." Maybe we'll see each other on the ship again. I hear there is to be a dance contest in the Royal Lounge tonight. Do you dance by any chance?

"No. Unfortunately not."

"Well, maybe well run into each other again.

It was just past six when we left for the dining room. We were assigned to table 69 and I thought we would be seated alone. When I spotted our assigned tabke, I counted eight seats.

As we settled in to our seats I was busy studying the menu, when I heard a familiar voice. I looked up to see Barry walking towards me with his parents following closely along.

"I'm surprised again. Are you following me?"

"No. I gestured at my parents. Meet my parents". I had no idea that we would be sitting at the same table.

Introductions went around the table and we then we were approached by another older couple from Key Biscayne, Florida.

Barry was two years my senior and was getting ready to serve in the Navy. This trip was to be his last chance at fun as well.

"So are you going to join me at the dance contest tonight?

I finally relented and committed myself to an hour. The hour turned into four and we ended the evening at the dessert bar. Barry had a great sense of humor and was dedicating his life to a

carrer in the Navy. He was also quite handsome with light blue eyes, brown hair and had a muscular body.

"Aren't you afraid of being injured or killed if war breaks out and you have to fight?"

"Not at all. I am going in as an officer, Lieutenant that is, and I will be working on government contracts so I will never see any fighting. It's as safe as any other job. My thought is that we have no assurance of how long we are to live. I could be hit by a speeding car on an empty highway.

I smiled and said you're right.

"What is it that you want to do with your life?"

"I plan to be a writer and travel the world with the one person I chose to be with my whole life. I would fill my home with worldly goods and have at least two children. One boy (to carry on the family name) and one girl."

"You really seem to know what you want." "And you know what you want."

We spent every day together for that week, getting to know each other. We swam in the ocean, took guided tours of the island and really got to know each other.

As they sat on the beach that last night, they made plans to meet on the same ship the following year.

The year seemed to last forever. I had no time for anything except studying and therefore had no chance to date. Barry had been promoted to a lieutenant commander and was making more money.

Everything was going as planned and we agreed to meet on March 3rd, a year after we first met.

I woke up that morning in anticipation of seeing Barry that very evening.

I picked up my suitcase and was about to walk out the door when the phone rang. I figured it was the limousine company to get directions so I ran to the phone and answered it.

"Hello, I said in a breathless voice." "Yes, I am looking for a Ms. Judy Sher".

"This is her, are you calling to tell me you lost?

"No, i am calling on behalf of Barry Rubin, I am his sister. Barry was on his way back from his base when the car that he was being driven in, struck a land mine. He was killed instantly.

"Oh my god, I screamed. No, it can't be."

The family held a military funeral for him the following week. There was no casket, but there were pictures of Barry, throughout the chapel. I looked at the picture of that handsome man I met on the cruise ship only a year before and knew that I would never meet another man as I had loved Barry.

When I returned home that evening I had trouble sleeping. The moon seemed to be shining in my room with such brightness. It seemed to be beckoning me forward.

I got up and went to the window. I remembered what Barry told me abou a speeding car on an empty highway and realized that Barry had predicted his own death.

"Good bye Barry", I whispered and than felt a breeze over my shoulder….goodbye my love.