Framed in Moonlight
I still had many miles to travel before I reached Fort William. As it was a starlit evening I tried my luck at hitch hiking. By 11 pm I was regretting this decision, and my feet sore from walking. Head down I was almost at a standstill as a vehicle slowed to travelled alongside me.
Did I need a lift?
Looking within the battered shooting brake, I saw a young couple and a vehicle almost loaded to the roof. Needs must, so I slid in between the roof and the paraphernalia of their life. I made myself comfortable so that I could see out of the windows.
Whilst my feet rested, the conversation flowed as we shared our passion for Scotland. That is until Loch Ness appeared sparkling in the moonlight. Transfixed by sublime beauty, I found myself studying the shimmering surface. My attention was drawn to a dark area, traveling parallel to us. I still wonder did I really see that head on top of a curving neck.
Footnotes:
These days I do wonder, did I see Nessie: or did the smoke from the joints being smoked by my travelling companions intoxicate me.
Genre: My Memoirs
This Post Has 25 Comments
Very beautifully written, Michael. A small correction needed in this line …Needs must so I… Slightly ungrammatical.
You are right Neel, I have added a comma. The phase is not modern queens English, but the phrase has certainly been in use since the early 1400s. It is better known and used as John Lydgate a poet and monk put it, “needs must when the Devil drives”
The camera could help in capturing visions/delusions and demarcate those later. Well written!
You are right about the camera, but Nessie is camera shy, you will never see ‘her’ if you have a camera.
Sure it wasn’t “Puff” the magic dragon? .. well done
Not Puff; but maybe Inhale. But then surely you believe in Nessie. Nessie is like Whiskey best taken neat. Neat meaning ‘pure’. Although I admit that a wee dram of whiskey stirred into porridge is rather nice,
Cheers 🙂
Love the way you built it up and the final twist. Wonderful description.
Thank you yarnspinnerr; I do enjoy telling a tale, if it is taken from every day life.
Of course it was Nessie, why blame the poor joint unnecessarily 🙂
I do wish that I could remember if the shooting brakes windows were open. As I really don’t want to blame the poor joint’s.
Very evocative. I’m betting it was the substances in the air, but you never know!
But Iain, what if the shooting brakes windows were wide open.
That darn critter keeps turning up, doesn’t it? 😉
Oh, what is “batterred shooting brake?”
A sighting of Nessie is always worth telling. I have shortened batterred to battered, thank you James. I am afraid that my spelling often reflects the sounds of rural roots.
Hahaha! Great story! I think you saw Nessie! LOL! That magical smoke made you more keenly aware. 😀
There was certainly magic in the air that night. Thank you PJ.
I’m sure there was. LOL!
I’m leaning towards it really being Nessie. Why not? This happened to you? You’ve lived a life worth living!
I am so glad you do not rule Nessie out. Perhaps ‘she’ is a traveller in time.
Loved it and even more so as it was a true story. The phrase ‘paraphernalia of their life” held so much meaning. I had to laugh – was it the smoke or not. Only Nessie can confirm that one.
Thank you Irene, the Morris minor estate was certainly jammed full that night. Do you think Nessie could be a time traveler.
If you still had access to that smoky weed.
Thank you Irene. Perhaps I might write better stories, but I have never believed in using weed
So nicely written…like hearing it told over a coffee or a joint 🙂
Now you have me wondering what that darkness symbolizes .
Ellespeth