Unforgettable

This is a blogfest to celebrate the release of my short story. "Secrets of the Ash Tree" which is being published Sept. 4th in a fantasy anthology called Open Doors. For this blogfest I want you to post about some strange and unusual place, person or thing you have visited. Something that has left a lasting impression, one that you can not forget. Join us here and don't forget to stop by other unforgettable stories:

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Asking you to write about someplace or person that has left an unforgettable imprint on your life is a tall order. I know this, and I myself have had so many places and people that I will never forget so it is hard to pick just one to tell you about. Most of you that know me have heard all about the story of how I met two of my lost children for the first time again after 30 years. You probably think that is what I am going to write about now, but I have a different story to tell you. I am going to tell you about a time when fate went to Greece disguised as a man wearing a long black coat. My sister in law and I met him there on vacation 15 years ago. A vacation that changed both of our lives, and I am certain that Fate knew we would be there.

On vacation in Greece with my Sister-in-law

He was just a tall shadow standing behind a good looking young Greek man on the other side of a small fence that bordered the sidewalk from what would become our local pub. I noticed him whispering in this young man’s ear as I was sitting with my sister in law and two young English guys, enjoying a drink and the warm night air. It was our first night in Greece and although we had not planned to go out, circumstances led us to being there. We did not know it at the time, but this young good looking Greek man standing there watching us, should have been going home that very same day. He was on vacation as well, and although he was part Greek, he was actually from Australia on vacation and helping out his cousin, working on a boat. He had felt compelled to stay so when the shadow man had approached him that night and whispered in his ear saying, “Talk to her, you have to talk to her,” he didn’t hesitate.

That was the first time we saw the man in the long black coat, but we saw him many times during the next two weeks. He would seem to appear out of nowhere, leave a message about love, and quickly disappear back into the crowd before anyone could respond.  Needless to say, our “girl’s” vacation turned into the romance of a lifetime, involving my sister in law and this young Greek man. I did everything I could think of to stop this hand of fate, but it would not be so. You probably are asking why I should stop such a wonderful holiday romance. The answer is simple, because she was married and had two small children.

As fate would have it they continued their love affair long after she had returned home to her husband and children. He flew to Norway after her and I hid their secret as best I could until a photograph of them betrayed her. The secret was out, but fate was not finished with these two. To make a long story short, today they have been happily married for 10 years and are living in Australia. I often wonder how fate led us to the circumstances that changed so many people’s lives. Some people do not believe in fate but I do, and I know what it looks like, unforgettable and so was my time in Greece.

I am looking forward to reading about your unforgettable moments in life, and to see just how much fate had to do with them.