Stuart Reardon, a 38-year-old male, with closely cropped jet black hair. His eyes were green. The kind of green that pushed its way through the piles of gritty snow to remind you that spring was coming. The kind of green that budded on the prisoners of winter, bringing life back to their branches. That churning, passionate green that the ocean turns during a storm. That color of the forest after it rains. The color of the tadpoles making ripples in the pond. That green color that brings hope and life no matter what has happened. He had a full dark beard that he kept neatly trimmed. He had just finished a 20-year stint in the Navy as a Seal, he was retiring as a Master Chief Petty Officer. He was moving back to<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sequimwa.gov%2F&amp;hash=02dcc5a26794e21ea01da495705b19dc" href="http://www.sequimwa.gov/" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Sequim Washington</a>. He had grown up in Sequim and he had buried his parents five years ago and inherited the<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fphotos.zillowstatic.com%2Fp_h%2FISyzxxbqscc98t0000000000.jpg&amp;hash=5843075135c2da8741a851ee455dd189" href="https://photos.zillowstatic.com/p_h/ISyzxxbqscc98t0000000000.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank"> family home</a>. They had died due to a DUI driver killing them. Mom had been a school teacher and dad was a engineer at Port Angles as the lead Naval Architect. He had the house maintained while he had been away. He had good friends that he had grown up with Ethan and Cole. They had been inseparable growing up and he had missed 20th year High School reunion by a week. He was looking forward to seeing his good friends he was meeting them for dinner and then a night of clubbing. It had been some years and with him being in the Navy he hadn't seen them often.<br/><br/>He had been discharged yesterday and he had driven from the sub base in Bangor to the house.  He had a lot planned and getting up he stretched. He went into the bathroom, flossing and brushing his teeth, Then he got on his wet suit. He walked out the back and straight to the water. He would swim for an hour to keep up his physique. Soft sky above, sharp stones underfoot and the clouds caressed with reflected light. The lacy waves are a drumbeat that echo my heart, the breeze blows the tension right out of my bones and all the while the birds arc above, masters of the salty updrafts. He smiled the ocean was his home as well for many years. He finally got to the sandy shore and stepped into the water and started his exercise. He cut through the salty water it was cool on this August morning as he was like a shark flowing through the water. He had set his watches alarm to let him know when and hour was up. He swam out 20 yards and went back and forth over a half mile back and forth enjoying the cool water as it woke him up. He thought about the 20th reunion and wondered how it was going to be. He had text the brothers last night about going this evening. He wondered about their sister she should be grown up now. Wonder what she looks like.  He finally finished up and came to the shore and walked up to the back patio he stripped the wet suit off and dried off. He looked out and felt it was going to be a great day. He could just feel it in his bones.<br/><br/>He then walked in and went straight to the shower. He turned it on and wait til it warmed up. Then stepping in to the water and let the hot water cascade over his muscular body. He then used the peppermint shampoo and cucumber body wash. He washed, then rinsed off. He turned off the water and then stepping out dried off. He then put his deodorant and cologne Krizia Uomo with its lemony pine scent. He brushed his hair and went into the bedroom to dress. He put on a black t shirt with a nice fitting Levi jeans and put on his Columbia hiking sneakers on. Once dressed he got his phone, wallet and keys to his jeep. He walked downstairs, then out to his<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.galeanachryslerjeepcolumbia.com%2Fassets%2Fstock%2Fcolormatched_01%2Fwhite%2F640%2Fcc_2018jes160001_01_640%2Fcc_2018jes160001_01_640_pau.jpg&amp;hash=7ceed6c2c7b6f66fc31be4965a95eaf0" href="https://www.galeanachryslerjeepcolumbia.com/assets/stock/colormatched_01/white/640/cc_2018jes160001_01_640/cc_2018jes160001_01_640_pau.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Jeep,</a>he had gotten a grey Wrangler 2018 as part of his getting out of the Navy. Sort of reward. He had money but was frugal with how he spent it. Getting in he buckled up and started it. He backed up and headed into town. He was going to get some breakfast at the Oak Table Cafe. He had not eaten there in many a long year. He remembered fondly his last breakfast with his parents on the day of his departure into the Navy. They had shared the meal and laughs together. It warmed his heart the memory of the 3 of them together.<br/><br/>He pulled into the parking lot and there were not many cars in the parking lot of the restaurant. He stepped out, locking the jeep and walked in. He sat down at a booth. The restaurant wasn't quite full. I looked around at the busy tables. An old couple eating side by side, one cup of coffee each, studiously bent over their meals. A group of young women in their thirties collapsing with helpless giggles as a stern woman dining alone nearby looked on and frowned. A family and their teenage children. A waitress came over. 'Good Morning, can I get you some coffee?' She handed him a menu. "Good Morning a coffee sounds great, a fresh pot would be just what the doctor ordered this morning." She smiled. 'Coming right up.' She went to get his coffee. He perused the menu and decided on breakfast. He waited till she came and she brought creamer, a cup and pot of coffee. She poured the coffee for him. 'So what will it be?' "I would like an order of blueberry pancakes, bacon and 3 scrambled eggs." She wrote the order down and smiled. 'I will have that for you shortly.' She went and placed the order as Stuart fixed his coffee. He added cream and sugar to his coffee, he stirred it and sipped it. He looked around and didn't recognize anyone in the restaurant. His mind on what he was going to do bubbled to the surface. He was now officially retired and would be getting a check from government every month. That and what he had from his parents life insurance policy he wouldn't have to work, but he felt the need to work.<br/><br/>The waitress came out with his food, it was piping hot and the aroma of it put a smile on his face. She sat it down along with some warm syrup. 'Is there anything else I can get you?' "This looks really good, I think I am good." He cut his food up and applied the syrup to his pancakes. He then savored each and every bight. Real food, not MRE's was a joy to him as he savored every bit of it. He cleaned his plate as if he was starving.  Wiping his mouth, the waitress smiled. She put his check on his table. Taking the plates and silverware less his spoon. He poured his coffee and fished out a twenty dollar bill. He put it on the check and finished his coffee. He wiped his mouth and got up. He walked over to the waitress. "Here you go keep the change, was very good thank you." Her face lit up. 'Thank you so much.' She waved to him as he walked out and to his jeep. He buckled up and started the engine. He was headed to<a class="link link--external" data-proxy-href="/proxy.php?link=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nps.gov%2Folym%2Findex.htm&amp;hash=8f5fc4990cd7126ecd93ae4190725e77" href="https://www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" target="_blank">Mt Olympic state park</a>. He was going to do a little hiking. He made his way on the interstate, the traffic not bad for this early in the morning and pulled into the park a little bit before 10 am.<br/><br/>He started to walk into the trail. The forest does not care for seconds or minutes, even hours are inconsequential. The smallest measure of time here is the cycle of daylight and darkness. Even then the forest is more in tuned with the seasons: rebirth brought by the warmth of spring, darkened foliage from summer's kiss, the onset of fall and then the keen bite of winter. Here in the forest so little can happen in the time it takes for me to change from a child into a woman, to gain and loose so much. Perhaps that is why I love to be here- it stabilizes the rapidity of my thoughts, grounds me in a place where ticking of clocks is disregarded. A place where I can let go of the demands of technology. Cell phone off. Just me, the trees and my good boots. I only need care for the sun's position in the sky. Free therapy. Reboot. Reset.