THERE HE WAS...

The evening was beautiful! The breeze was constant and welcoming as we sat on the huge deck at Anchor Bar & Grill in Orange Beach, Alabama. 

As the sunlight began to drop, dozens of ducks waddled onto the beach below in search of a resting place and food. A couple of young girls stood with bread and hand fed them as they eagerly gobbled up each morsel. After the feeding many of the ducks found places in the sand and settled down with their heads  turned towards the water.  They looked at the soft waves rolling in occasionally which seemed to delight them. My eyes then spotted a beautiful white crane standing knee deep near the water’s edge. It stood there for hours surveying the water and the land; appearing to have a lot on his mind as he searched. I turned my view back to my meal and the wonderful music my son was playing; yet I kept checking back on this crane from time to time as the night continued.

The Anchor Bar deck juts out over the water and the nighttime view is even more spectacular than the glimpse in the daylight. Bright lights made every condo and business jump out from the darkness as if to say “Hey, here I am”. The glow of the lights on the water created a magnificent picture worthy of hanging anywhere on earth.

There was not a seat unfilled as the Anchor Bar & Grill accommodated all who walked onto that deck. Others waited inside the bar for their chance to join. It was my first time there but it will not be my last. The food was indescribably delicious and it was served by the most considerate and attentive young lady who never lost her smile even through the sometimes chaotic pace demanded by such a large crowd.

People gathered and enjoyed great food, wonderful staff, great music and a view beyond anyone’s expectations; how could anyone ask for more?

Soon it was closing time and the music ended while people began to gather their things and close-out their tabs. I turned to take one last view of my surroundings with awe and appreciation; grabbed my purse and my son followed closely behind me with his guitar.

Only a few minutes later we were on the Baldwin Beach Express heading back towards Interstate 10 West. There are long stretches of nothingness on this Expressway that has no street lights to guide your way, only the occasional street sign to  remind you this is the way to the interstate. Soon after I drove passed a little sign that said Foley City Limits; it happened.

There he was! A young man was walking in the darkness in the middle of my lane. He was shirtless, barefoot, and only wore a dark colored pair of shorts. He was staggering as he walked and very sweaty looking (it was warm out). The instant my eyes focused and told my brain, “That is a person walking down the expressway!”; I swerved to the left lane (fortunately no one was there, I don’t know if I even looked to see). At the same time I blew my horn. (I have a Toyota Rav 4 and the horns are not that intimidating, I call mine a Mickey Mouse horn, it sounds cartoonish to me).

Nothing appeared to phase this man. He never slowed his stagger, he never looked around, he never made any efforts to get out of the street.

Soon my thoughts were, “Someone will hit him and end his life!” I called 911 as I drove and the operator advised me that others had also called and thanked me for calling. Moments later the Foley Police called me back. As I hung up from that call, I saw a Foley Police car pass heading in his direction with lights and sirens blazing.

I was quite shook up as I had come so close to ending another person’s life. It was a young person who should have many years ahead of him. That night as I lay in my bed reliving the experience, unable to sleep; my head was full of thoughts about him. Did his girlfriend or wife break up? Did he have a tough life as a child? Did he simply drink way too much? Was he high on drugs? How did he get way out their in the middle of nowhere? Did someone put him out of the car, perhaps because he was obnoxious from drinking or drugging? Did he have a medical condition that left him in this state? I will never know the answers to all of those questions that still haunt me days later.

I do wish him well. It is my hope that he is safe, sound and sober. I hope that one day he will experience a calm, peaceful, awe-inspiring evening like the one I had just had before he popped into my life.   I will always remember when he came into view, there he was…