She sat there, unmoving, staring at the water.
Slivers of moonlight streaked her golden hair with silver.
I could not stop watching her, there upon the bench.
I had never seen a lady so lovely.
As the hours slowly tiptoed by, she remained still,
And I marveled at her strength of will.
She seemed not to twitch, even at the touch of a moth on her cheek.
With every hour my passion rose, like the level of Lake Mason.
When finally she moved, her left leg stretched out,
And its lines were so perfect, my passion leapt.
She turned her lovely face toward me, and I flinched.
But she did not see me, sitting there beside the tree.
The color of her eyes eluded me, but the shape was intriguing,
Almond, like the oriental, yet fuller somehow.
I wondered at her lineage and imagined us together.
There on the grass by the shimmering lake.
My life had been devoid of love, never shared by a lady.
With homely face and thinning hair, I attracted none.
But I sat there thinking, wondering how I might win her love.
I was afraid, but hoped she would notice me.
The slight breeze turned suddenly colder,
And as she arched her back to don her jacket,
The fullness of her figure stoked my passion once more.
I wanted her as I had never wanted any lady before.
I must have whistled slightly at the sight of her curves,
For she turned my way and inquired who was there.
I froze, enthralled by the sultry timbre of her voice.
She rose, and the full moon brought her every detail my way.
"Who is there?" she asked, with hands on her hips.
I stood and answered, "Just me, Miss, Officer Wilson."
"Checking on me, Officer Wilson?" she asked softly.
"On patrol Miss," I lied, my shift long over.
Suddenly she bolted, directly for the lake's cold water,
And with a lunge she was gone, beneath its dark surface.
I rushed to the shore and played my torch across the ripples,
But she was not to be found. She had vanished.
I removed my shoes, socks and belt and dove after her.
Numbness struck me like a fist, taking my breath away.
I could not dive for her, with no air in my lungs.
Then a cramp struck, and I sunk like a heavy stone.
I knew death was at hand. And as I lost consciousness,
I wondered why she felt the need to die.
Her lovely face lit my mind, and then I was gone.
I'm sure my body had sunk to the muddy bottom
And then I felt air, filling my lungs. Air with a lovely scent,
Like the flowers of spring and the morning dew.
And I felt lips upon mine, then pressure on my chest.
When my eyes opened, she was there, smiling.
"Well, hello Officer Wilson," she cooed with a little smile.
I tried to sit but she held me down, and then lay beside me.
She kissed me as I have never been kissed, with intense passion.
And I returned that kiss, and felt my heart throbbing.
I had tried to save her, but she had saved my life.
And today I know why. Sweet gentle Marie had been too shy,
To simply ask me for a date. She had waited for me.
She had planned it all. Such a risky plan it had been.
Yet today our lives are so much fuller.
She waits for me to finish my beat.
And dinner is there, begun with a hug and ended with kisses.
Our first child will soon share our lives.
Lake Mason remains a place of wonder for us.
We stroll there often and gaze at its rippling surface,
And recall what might have been. And I urge every lonely man,
To never close his eyes or his mind to the power of love.
