Coral Gables Cottages

Bill dropped his suitcase and stared out the front window. The view took in a lovely stretch of beach with Adirondak chairs and umbrellas in the foreground. Alone in the empty house, he tried to let the view settle his troubled mind, but it was no use. As cute as it was, the place just wasn’t the same without her. He and Carrie had vacationed at the same B&B, Coral Gables Cottages #5, every year since forever, it seemed. But not this year. 

As evening shadows filled the room, Bill climbed the stairs to the bedroom. The first thing he saw was the old Smith Corona typewriter they used to share before computers sitting on the dresser top. He thought they’d stored and forgotten about it years ago. Yet here it was. And oddly, there was a sheet of paper in the platen with something typed …  

“Dear Bill.” It was a letter! “I came here after we split, thinking our old place might cheer me up.”

Bill’s heartbeat picked up speed while he read Carrie’s words. “I was thinking about the karaoke contest we won last time we were here. Do you remember?” The words stopped too soon.

It had been a rollicking evening at the Rock Bottom pub downtown and they sang their favorite song, “Some Enchanted Evening,” during the weekly karaoke contest. Amazingly, a panel of drunken judges voted them the best duet of the night. The prize came as a surprise. They had to promise from then on, every time they heard “Some Enchanted Evening,” either alone or together, to sing along out loud.

Bill went downstairs and dusted off the record player. He went through the record cabinet, found the well-used “South Pacific” LP and dropped the needle on the “Some Enchanted Evening” cut. 

After a few pops and scratches, the overture began. “Here ya go!” Bill shouted.

Some enchanted evening
You may see a stranger
You may see a stranger
Across a crowded room…

When he was done singing, Bill returned upstairs to the typewriter. “Dear Carrie,” He started where she left off. “I remember and I’m keeping the bargain. Are you?”