Words In Frame, 7/1

Maybe the docks weren’t the best place for a first date. The idea seemed way more romantic in his head, but in person it was just a bunch of water and screeching seagulls. To him it felt like home. He has lived near water all his life so it just felt natural, but to an outsider like her he thought it may be a bit awkward.

“It’s really pretty isn’t it?” Her voice snapped him back to reality.

“Um w-what?” He wasn’t sure if she was talking about the water or his perception of the water. Was she in his head?

“The water here is so calm compared to what I am used to. You guys get a lot of freedom here in this station”

He had never really thought it before. Each station mimics what Earth used to look like, but since you don’t choose where you are born its natural to forget that stations look vastly different from each other.

“Yeah, I mean I grew up near the water and tried not to take it for granted, but it’s nice to see that someone else appreciates my home too.” Living next to water was like living next to a goldmine, and he never forgot that. “Where did you grow up?”

“Wow, deep question for a first date.” She gave him a sly smile.

“Well, I can ask something different if yo-”

“No its fine, most people just seem so ashamed of where they are from. Honestly I’m glad you aren’t like that. I was a Station 6 kid, so it was all big buildings and busy streets. The station that never sleeps, so they call it…honestly it was just exhausting.”

“Why exhausting?”

“Everything there is just so…unfocused. Like everyone is busy, has someplace to be, and no one enjoys themselves. I love doing things, of course, but I also like being able to just sit without worrying about the next moment.”

“Isn’t Station 6 like where everyone wants to end up though? The land of big business and big dreams? Money, money, and more money?”

“It is all of that, but that life just didn’t appeal to me. All I wanted to do was work with animals, and you won’t find any in the concrete ocean of Station 6. That’s why I ended up out here. I needed a change”

“I get that, a lot of people I know wanted to move to 6 in order to strike it big or something, but I was always into the environment…well what's left of it anyway. So I stayed here and never looked back.”

On the nearby landmass you could see the shadow of a sentinel flying overhead, surveying the area as it does every day at the same time. Despite its size it was silent and unobtrusive aside from its shadow. The two watched it float by in silence. Regardless of what station you are from, it can be hard to gaze at sentinels.

“So what happens next for you?” She again broke the silence, the 6 in her making her a natural lead in conversation.

“I am starting a new job soon, and we get to actually visit water production plants and figure out ways to make them run more efficiently.”

“Really? That sounds amazing!”

“I try not to get caught up in it, I'm just doing what I want to do."

“Well, have you celebrated yet?” She perked up and got closer to him.

“Uh…no?” His social circle wasn't the biggest, so celebrating things like a new job was bit odd to him. “I don’t really do that, I mean it isn’t a massive deal."

“Not a big deal? You are living your dream and actually doing something that matters to you. You get to be real and focus on something in this world of plastic. It is monumentally important that you see that!”

He could see that it meant a lot to her. So he simply smiled and gave a nod. This girl had passion, and although he wasn’t sure if she could handle it, he guessed it was worth a shot.

“Then lets go! I know this amazing Thai place down the road and it should still be open.”

He couldn’t really say no, he honestly thought this date would flop but here was this girl, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him toward what was apparently the magnum opus of Thai food. He turned back to face his water. A final look at the bay he had taken comfort in all his life. A bay that he had now dedicated himself to preserving at all cost. It was the crown jewel of his station.

Humility aside, he really did deserve that celebration dinner, and he couldn’t have picked better company.