“I was captain of the archery team in college, and I’ve hit my share of bull’s-eyes.”

Touché, Mr. Sumida.

“I’ll remember to stay out of your way during target practice,” he said, laughing.

“I’m a good shot with a rifle, too.”

We laughed together then, and I felt my mood lifting to match the good-natured teasing he’d started. Our awkward meeting seemed behind us as I relaxed into naturalness.

The soft light of early evening filtered through the front door as we stood quietly in the vestibule for a few moments. The smell of rain was in the air—but coming from the next valley over. It was what I loved about Hawaiʻi, the changes that flew across the landscape in a single day. Mother used to tell me, “If you don’t like the weather now, just wait five minutes.”

“I’d like to stop back in a couple of days to see how your renovations are going, if that’s all right. I’ll bring some drawings that show details for repairing the porch balusters and this doorframe. See how the designs have chipped away?” He ran his strong fingers across the mottled wood.

My reverie was so encompassing I had almost forgotten who I was with. It was as if I’d known this stranger longer than just a few minutes and we had formed a comfortable familiarity between us. In my mind, he changed into someone from an earlier time—a likeness blurred by passing years but brimming with intensity. I’m sure we had been standing together at nightfall like this before, looking through the darkening trees. That other persona became so real I turned…to find him watching me.