Desperation

Summer 1976
That long, hot summer of 1976 remained in Rodney’s mind for many reasons. He had just come back to Portreal from university, with a first, and was taking a break before heading off to London to become a famous photographer - at least that’s the way he saw it. Then there was Andrea. He had known Andrea since school, they had gone off to university at the same time, she to study music, he to immerse himself in the arts, focusing mainly on photography. During his final year his parents had moved from the little bungalow on Cliff Road to a larger house on the corner of Church Street and Rattle Street, literally a few yards up the hill from the beach. The morning after his return he decided to get a swim before breakfast. As he came out of the door there was Andrea walking along Rattle Street as if she had never been away, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Both being in their swimsuits it was obvious that they were having the same idea of a swim before breakfast. Rodney waited for her, they hugged and headed for the beach. As they walked down someone had a radio on inside an open window, and Bohemian Rhapsody was playing. Andrea stopped
“That track is going to be so influential, almost as influential as the Sgt. Pepper album was. It really is ground-breaking.”
Rodney had very little interest in music, but could understand why she had that view.

When they had swum Rodney suggested that they get a picnic together and spend the day at another beach just around the coast, Andrea readily agreed, it had been a few years since they had spent time together.