The house was hard to find.
He was afraid that he was going to be late, despite having given himself lots of time to arrive.
After leaving the main road, the road the house was on was turned out to be little more than a trail. There was grass growing in the middle of it and it didn't look like many cars ever drove on it.
But isolation was what he was looking for. What was the old quote about "taking the road less traveled," he laughed, "I wonder if this is the road they had in mind?"
According to the directions from the real estate company, the property was 25 miles from the exit off the highway; but he hadn't planned on having to drive slow and on all of the curves and switchbacks.
The view from the narrow road made him reflect on just how small people were, the majestic hills and rocky cliffs rose and fell as he drove on this lonely road. The logic and order of the city seeming a long way from here, this is where nature lived, you could almost picture spirits moving freely among the trees, rocks, and animals.
He figured he needed some place with nature, some place where logic and order didn't rule his world, someplace where he could regain his perspective and just appreciate life.
After a particularly nasty divorce, he wanted a place that he could think, some place away from the city, he was tired of the drama, tired of politics, to be honest tired of everything.
He felt empty, like lately people only wanted to take from him, and there had to be more to his life than just that.
Speaking of taking, the divorce lawyers had both done well, his now ex-wife had done very well, but he was okay with the settlement, at least it was over.
At 54, he was starting over figuratively, although he had enough to start over with some degree of style. He had accepted the buyout of his share of the houses, the cars, the business; and had let her take everything else, to top it off, he had to be out of the cottage in less than 30 days.
It was one of the reasons this property he was supposed to look at interested him, it advertised "Spectacular view, isolated, retro styling, available immediately, and fully furnished," four of five things that really interested him, the retro styling really didn't matter, but it was a place to start, if he could find it.
His vehicle bounced from one particularly deep pothole in a road that seemed to be constructed of them.
He slowed down and stopped on one particular switchback and just looked at the view, he breathed in the cool, clear air and for the first time in months, actually felt good. He enjoyed the view for several minutes, at the risk of being even more late.
Then, he got back in his jeep and hoped he would be there soon.
It had been mid-morning when he had left the city, now it was just before 1 pm, and according to the directions it should be right around the next bend.
He hadn't seen another soul in more than an hour as his jeep rounded the bend, and then suddenly there it was.
It was a ranch style bungalow perched on the edge of a steep valley, the view from the start of the driveway was incredible, he could only imagine from the house. The house looked like it was part of the scenery, whoever had built it must have appreciated "fitting in with nature" rather than "overpowering nature" and it made him want to see more.
Parking the car, he expected to see the real estate agent's car, but there were no tracks and no car; he figured she must be running late. He tried his cell phone and the service was not even registering, "That will have to get fixed, maybe a tower would help," he thought, but based on the price and the view, it was something he was prepared to deal with if he took the place.
There was no "if" about it, without even looking at the house, the 5 acres, the view, and the isolation had already sold him on the place.
He had always made decisions quickly and much of his success was based on his ability to see things other people couldn't. There was just something about this place that spoke to him, even after only a few minutes of being here.
The only downside to living here he thought was that it was unlikely he would meet anyone, the logical part of his brain said, "THANK GOD," the best part of him, his romantic side was a little sad, he never wanted to be alone, but the logic side won out. His romantic side silently waited in the hope that maybe, just maybe life would surprise him.
He figured while he waited that he would look around, getting out of the car, he walked to the edge of the valley and could see for miles and miles, the rocky hills and deep forests with the ocean in the background were all exactly what he was looking for.
As admired the view and then felt an unusual sensation, like someone was watching him. Looking around he saw no one. Other than a stiff breeze, and a hint of lilac, nothing seemed to move anywhere.
There was something about this place, something he just couldn't put his finger on, it was a feeling, this place reached out and touched him somehow in a very good way.
He walked around the house and noticed it was in relatively good shape, but it must have been empty for a little while because he could see a little paint peeling here and there but nothing he couldn't handle.
At 6 foot and 185 pounds he was in very good shape for his age, the years of lifting weights and running had left him with a body almost exactly the same as it had been when he graduated from university. Not movie star handsome, most women found him attractive in a dark quiet way. Wearing a blue denim shirt and a pair of faded jeans with dusty old cowboy boots, he looked like a younger Sam Elliot without the mustache.
On the far side of the house, he had that feeling again, this time turning around, he noticed a slender woman, she had just seemed to appear at the corner of the house and she smiled.
He said, "Sorry, you just startled me."
"I have that effect on people sometimes," she answered.
He wasn't what she expected, he had an easy smile and a quiet calmness about him that she could sense even after just a few words.
Quickly recovering, he said, "Hi, I'm Rob, you must be from the real estate company, I just thought I would look around while I waited, this place is beautiful."
