Roger and Caroline Are Learning How To Swim
A People Watching Story
Welcome to Let’s Get Lost! I’m Rebecca, a recipe developer, food photographer, passionate people watcher, and chaser of new experiences. You might know me from my recipe websites, Of Batter and Dough and A Little and A Lot.
My husband and I are nomads without a home base but with many modes of transportation, namely an RV, a motorcycle, and a sailboat. I write recipes and stories for curious people who believe experiences are more important than things and who want more adventure.
Hello everyone!
I’m taking a few days off for the Thanksgiving holiday, so no new recipes today. Instead, I’d like to share a NEW People Watching story with you.
People watching has always been one of my favorite activities. So, when we moved into an RV, I was delighted to discover that the people watching opportunities in campgrounds are spectacular.
Campgrounds (and marinas) are busy places, filled with all sorts of people constantly coming and going. Some of these fellow campers capture my imagination and I make up stories about them.
I give them names, spin up a history, and weave together a story. This is the third such story I’ve shared here. You can read the others here.
For those of you in the states who celebrate, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’ll be back next weekend with new recipes and a few crazy photos from our own holiday celebration. ❤️
xo
-Rebecca
Roger and Caroline
Caroline is a photographer and it must be said, not a particularly good one.
But Roger dutifully follows her around the state, pitching their tent here and there, so she can take as many bad photographs as she likes. Their tent is small, barely big enough for two people to lie side by side. Roger feels continuously cramped and hates sleeping on the cold, hard ground. But since their baby died, it’s the only thing that keeps Caroline above water.
Her camera is a magic carpet that keeps them hovered just above an ocean waiting to churn them under, and Roger doesn’t think they can swim. Much better to stay above it.
They never unpack all the way. They stop at the campsite, take turns covering one another in sunscreen (they are very serious about sun protection), and set a little cooler with water and sandwich essentials on the picnic table.
Caroline picks up her camera and wanders off. Roger sits at the picnic table and makes a sandwich. Eventually she comes back and they pack up what remains of Roger’s lunch, put on their wide brimmed hats, and wander off together for an hour or three or longer. It’s up to Caroline.
They don’t speak about this order of events. They don’t often speak. It’s their routine and their routine is holding up the world.
Caroline photographs nature. Birds, and squirrels, the occasional deer or horse, lakes and streams. Lots of cactuses. Sometimes flowers. Sometimes butterflies. Sometimes sunsets.
She doesn’t like to look at other people, and especially doesn’t want to talk to other people, so keeps the lens pointed safely towards non human things of interest. The camera makes everything real and she’d rather pretend it’s just her and Roger. Sometimes, she’d rather pretend it’s just her.
Mostly, she can’t forgive the entire world for going about their lives as if nothing has happened. Some of them even seem to be enjoying themselves. Others seem equally unhappy, and she can’t forgive them for that either.
They walk slowly. Caroline holds her camera gingerly, close to her chest, cradling the lens carefully with her right hand. Roger shuffles along beside her in silence.
Roger noticed Caroline right away, that first day as a new hire at Trader Joe’s, 10 years ago now. She was tall and cloaked in confidence. The air around her seemed to snap to attention as she moved, ready to accept her next command. He was fascinated, and intimidated, and had to constantly force himself to look away.
Though she’s never admitted it, Caroline also noticed Roger that first day. It took her a while to relax enough to acknowledge Roger’s presence. Longer still to warm up enough to respond to his gentle advances. It’s possible she still hasn’t warmed up to him completely. It’s possible she isn’t able to warm up to anyone completely.
And yet, two years later, there they were, at the county courthouse, with Roger’s 4 closest friends, and the dog they’d adopted the year before as a way of testing the seriousness of their relationship.
Caroline still can’t believe they allowed the dog inside the courthouse but that’s just how Roger is. Where Carolyn demands, Roger petitions, gently. So gently you don’t even register the request until you find yourself granting it and realizing that yes! You want that too!
This talent astounds Caroline. She is characteristically certain that there would be no trip to the county courthouse, there would be no dog, there would be no Roger and Caroline, if it wasn’t for Roger’s patient, gentle perseverance.
In this they are the same: they both know how to get what they want. Roger just makes you feel that you want it too. Caroline makes you feel you don’t have a choice.
And what did they want back then, freshly married, a family of three? They wanted to be a family of four.
And what do they want now? To be a family of four.
There are limits to their abilities to get what they want. Gentle perseverance and confident commandments only get you so far. They know this now.
In the morning they sit at the picnic table, their sore backs to the sun, looking at the lake, the camera bag between them, creating a comfortable distance. They sit with their hands in their pockets until their fingers thaw and then, when Caroline is ready, they get in the car and move on.
They drive aimlessly, neither of them willing to choose a destination. Neither of them willing to want.
But still, they are driving. Flying over the churning waters below and Roger thinks that maybe the water is receding. Or maybe they are flying higher. Or maybe they are learning how to swim.
Photo Album
About the artist
Sarah Pilley is an artist, designer, and vegan food blogger based in New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Design in architecture from the University of Florida and incorporates those skills and her love of design in her work today. They specialize in watercolor, digital art, and colored pencil but love exploring new art mediums and creative projects. She enjoys many hobbies outside of work including figure skating, dancing, running, crocheting, writing, and spending time in nature.
Check out their Instagram, portfolio, and food blog! For any inquiries or commissions, send Sarah an email at sarah@alternativedish.com
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Sarah’s art really brings your stories to life. I like to think that Caroline and Roger are learning how to swim. It would break my heart if they weren’t.
Ha!!! GREAT story and characters, Rebecca! We all know someone like this, right?