The fellow that can only see a week ahead is always the popular fellow, for he is looking with the crowd. But the one that can see years ahead, he has a telescope but he can’t make anybody believe that he has it.
—Will Rogers, The Autobiography of Will Rogers
From a distance, he watched and waited. Part of the ebbing sameness of bodies, he was one of them and yet not.Cat Powers had arrived. She was tending to the girl, to his patient. He appreciated her assistance. It was nice to have someone competent around.
Men overdressed for the beach, obviously law enforcement, backed off from the body as her stench blew upwind.
Focusing his attention back on Powers, he noticed she was indeed a fine specimen of a woman. Even kneeling, he could tell her legs were long and lean, auburn hair pulled up. She tucked a stray wisp over her left ear.
How alluring.
This woman coming all this way for me.
He stared harder at her, etching every nuance of her into his mind, her movements, her coloring.
Closing his eyes, he even caught a whisper of her voice, yes, just a bit. Sweet, melodic…he had to stop himself from smiling.
From the way she tended to his patient, he could tell she was a compassionate woman. Graceful. Beautiful. Even more so than the black-and-white newsprint photos dared portray.
He was sure now.
She was worthy.