Sunset Meetings
by Dina Arevalo, Editor
Earlier this
week I had a late
afternoon meeting
on South
Padre Island. As
the meeting began
to draw to a
close, I couldn’t
help but notice
the increasingly
golden tones
of sunlight that
pierced through
the cracks in
the blinds at the
back of the room. The sky
had been topped with heaping fluffy clouds earlier in
the day which did much
to accent the azure behind
them, but little to stave
off the heat which continues
to linger this autumn.
I was hopeful that the
day’s clouds would stick
around long enough for
a colorful sunset, but
that’s not always the case.
Sometimes, the grandest
looking cumulous clouds
are tamed first into wisps
and then into nothingness
as the warmth from
day ebbs with the lowering
sun. This wasn’t to be
one of those days, though.
As soon as the meeting
was over, I stepped outside
to see what those golden
rays were all about. The
clouds still hung near the
horizon, and sure enough,
their shape was evolving - becoming long flat ribbons
as the sun sunk in the
sky — but they weren’t
going away. High up in the
atmosphere, willowy contrails
from passing jetliners
crisscrossed each other,
providing sharp geometric
contrasts to the softer organic
shapes of the regular
clouds. This was going
to be one of those sunsets
Texas is famous for.
I decided to try to find a
spot to take photographs,
but I knew time was short.
I thought maybe I’d try
for the flats or the outdoor
viewing area behind
the Convention Centre. I
started to head that way
and was only partway there
when I realized I wouldn’t
make it in time. I decided to stop at one of
the bayside street
ends instead.
Unfortunately,
the end of the
road I chose
was occupied by
someone with a
less-than-sunny
disposition. Encountering
that
person at the
tail end of a day
which had been
filled with minor
annoyances was disappointing
and a bit defeating,
so I returned to my car
with thoughts of calling it
a day and just going home.
But as I continued down
Laguna Boulevard, the
sun’s golden light continued
to beckon. I decided
to take another chance
at another street end. As
I pulled up close, I saw a
bicycle propped up against
one of the large planters at
the end of the road, along
with the tiniest little dog,
who I would later learn
was named Ginger. Sitting
behind the planter with his
feet dipped in the water was
a man staring out at the sunset
himself. I asked him if I
could join him and he was
gracious enough to say yes.
He and Ginger regularly
make time to enjoy the
Island’s spectacular sunsets,
he said. We ended up
talking for about 20 minutes
as the glowing clouds
shifted from shades of orange
molten lava to bright
fuchsias and magentas,
and finally to dusky purples
and deep blues. We
watched flocks of gulls
scuttle low across the water
and a barge trudging
slowly along. We talked
about our favorite spots
to watch the sunset, and
we sat in silence while we
took in the mute spectacle.
It was peaceful and serene.
With the light continuing
to fade, I reached out
for a handshake, belatedly
introducing myself
in the process. The man,
Chuck, amiably returned
the gesture. Bad day
saved. Thanks, Chuck!
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