"What?"
"No surf today," I repeated, just making idle conversation, "Out there."
Manly beach sat before us under a leaden sky. The low grey clouds moving swiftly, the water a dirty green. A hundred yards out to sea the surfers sat or lay on their boards in a ragged line, rising and falling on the long swell, waiting for waves that seemed unlikely to appear. Occasionally the smooth ocean was spattered and broken by brief showers of rain.
"No. The winds coming off-shore and the rain deadens the water," he replied, turning to me fully and appraising me.
I half smiled back, watching his eyes flit up and down me, then he turned his chair a quarter turn to face me. Him sitting at the small square table next to mine at the Café Steyne.
"You don't look like you're here for the beach," he said smiling, his eyes indicating my rather overdressed look. Casual but overdressed for a visit to the beach, neat, formal casual, carefully overdressed.
"No," I replied, "No, a doctors visit."
"Nothing serious?" he asked, making a casual connection.
"No. No. Nothing serious. It's over now. I'm just taking in the view," I offered, feeling the empty place opening up inside me, smiling at him suggestively.
He understood, saying that he lived nearby and was filling in a lazy day.