"Flotsam and jetsam" or " no sex on the beach"

In the early nineties I was on a surf trip in Costa Rica, traveling from jaco up the pacific coast to tamarindo. We decided to take the old Tempisque ferry above Punta Arenas rather than drive the then dusty roads inland, around, and then back down the Nicoya peninsula. Doesn't matter. Or does it? Anyway, upon landing on the other side we hit the cantina for essentials and met some surfers heading back the other way. Got to talking and it turned out they were from New York . Hey, I'm from New York! Really? What part? The city. Oh, we're from Montauk. Do you know so and so? Why, yes! Friend of a friend of a friend.<br /> Okay, no big deal. Lotta surfers in New York travel to C.R. Montauk is, or was, a small town and their surfing community is somewhat insular. One of them, Kathryn, was quite striking and I immediately fell in love. She was either not aware or unimpressed. Then she left.<br /> Cut to:<br /> Two years later...different beach, same country. Out surfing with a handful of guys in the water, some of whom were ogling a rather attractive young lady surfing nearby. Did I mention she was topless? She was....and she was Kathryn. Did I mention I was in love with her? Oh, I did.<br /> Back on shore, a phrase we surfers avoid because it's clunky and not cool, I happened upon her, fully clothed and walking back to town. Need a ride? Sure. Kathryn, right? Uh..yeah? Remember me? NYC? The ferry? Mutual friend of a friend? Um...oh, yeah! I do! What are the odds?..blah blah blah. Agreed. Dropped her at her friends place. Achingly. End of story.<br /> Or is it?<br /> No. Two years later....Kauai. North shore. Laying in the sand at hanalei bay after a particularly humbling session, I happened to sit up with every intention of paddling out for one more beating. Instead, as I looked out to sea, as if in a Hollywood movie, the silhouetted form of a goddess floated across the sand towards me. I knew it was her before the sun kissed her face and I stumbled to form the sound of her name in my mouth. Kathryn?..l asked meekly. Too meekly, it turns out, cuz she just kept walking. Her friend heard me and stopped, somewhat surprised. Do you know each other? Kathryn turned back around and saw me, smiled and said "um.. You look familiar ". Heartbroken, I jogged her memory ..NYC, Costa Rica, twice, friend of friend at which point she lit up and said "oh, yes, and this is that friend( Nancy, I think). At this point her friend, who had been looking at me like " don't I know you from somewhere?" joined the conversation. "Don't I know you from somewhere? " she said. I wasn't sure but was happy to keep the conversation going. She asked if I was a grip and I concurred. "You came to pick up Chinese food at wolfs deli with (an entirely different mutual friend) a couple years ago, I remember cuz I've had a crush on you ever since!". I blushingly agreed and did in fact recall that day. We all chirped the small worldliness song for a few awkward moments and then Joe Superstud came and whisked the girls away as I laid back to die another day....and we haven't spoken since. </p> <p>