REM

Amnesia Shore

To my left was the pier, to my right the bare shoreline. I stood on a high point of the beach, wondering how I got there. Not because I didn't remember the walk, but because I didn't remember anything before the walk.

Seashells and stones are exposed. Sailboats and the odd fishing boat remained anchored in the shallow water, the tide receded. The water would return later tonight, or so I assumed – unlike my memory.

The cool breeze caressed my face as I felt my wavy hair blowing around on the top of my head. A plain, light blue t-shirt, beige shorts and sandals completed my outfit. I looked down at my clenched left hand and see tickets to a show, but I am unable to recall who my date is supposed to be.

My wrists are bare and so is my neck. I lift my shirt, then rolled up my sleeves and shorts, but there wasn't so much as a scratch on my pale skin.

Where I came from, I do not know. Someone must be missing me right now, surely. Worrying about where I am, why I didn't call, or perhaps why I didn't arrive for the show that started an hour ago. Wherever that person, or people are, I hope they find me soon.

Standing here in orange haze as the sun goes down, an image appears in my mind. A smiling woman walking towards me in a black dress at night. My girlfriend, fiancée, or perhaps my wife? She doesn't seem all that familiar. Then again, neither does the bare shore.

I'm lost. And the only clues I have are still clenched in my fist. If I knew where the theatre was I had a chance, but there was no one in sight.

I began to walk away from the beach towards a closed up hut. My intention was to sit down against one of its walls and wait until the sun fully disappeared below the horizon. I'm not sure there's much else I can do, other than wait.

Just as I began to sit down onto the patio floor, an old man picking up seashells stumbled into view. He was mostly bald, yet happy as he inspected what he had just picked up. I watched him until he noticed me and stopped.

"You waiting for someone young man?" he wheezed, as if he was out of breath.

I shook my head. "No, not really," I replied.

He scratched his head and gave me an odd look. "Well either you are, or you ain't. Which one is it?"

Sighing, I looked down at the expired tickets in my hand. They were all I had to go on. I stood up and walked over to him.

"Do you know where this is?" I asked him, showing him one of the tickets.

"Sure do, it's just down the road," he replied happily, pointing his thumb. "Well, if you have a car that is. Might be quite the walk, unless you can run." He paused as he inspected me. "But you look young enough. You might make it there in twenty minutes if you're lucky."

"Thanks." I bowed my head slightly and began to walk toward the road.

"She's a special lady," he called out after me. "And if she's still there waitin' for ya, she's a keeper."

I turned to face him, nodded, then carried on again. Whoever was waiting for me would have to be really patient. I was going to arrive over an hour late, and with no excuse other than, "I'm sorry I'm late, but I lost my memory."