The Best Missed Ferry of His Life

“Right on time, as usual.” Milton had always been a stickler for punctuality. He learned it from his father, who had learned it from Grandpa Frank. Showing up late for an appointment, regardless of its importance, was unacceptable. Rude. Disrespectful. And Milton was neither. Showing up late, even by a few minutes wouldn’t look good – especially for someone in his position.

Milton was the chief operating officer of the world’s largest discount supplier of apparel and accessories for amphibians. I suspect that many of you weren’t even aware that retail was a concern for these creatures – and you’d be wrong. Toadly Trendy is a value-focused brand catering to the fashion needs of mostly toads and frogs. With more than 1500 locations spread across fifteen states and a robust online presence they sat at the pinnacle of the retail pyramid. Milton was an important man – well not a man, Milton was a frog.

Milton had just finished his last meeting of the day, a boring affair detailing the latest sales figures on a recent product release and headed back to his office. After packing his briefcase, he headed out the door at 5:20pm – exactly on time. He would catch the 5:30 ferry back to the “Park and Hop” ready for his twenty-two-minute commute to his pad in the suburbs. On time and on schedule – just like every day.

Not today. For reasons known to no one, least of all Milton, he decided to enjoy the balmy weather and take a walk through the park adjacent to the ferry terminal. This random Tuesday would be different. His life would never be the same.

He first saw her out of the corner of his eye – dark green with even darker blotches of brown. Clearly not from around here, her look was more than pretty, she was tropical. Between the blink of her bulging eyes and the arc of her hop, he couldn’t stop looking - he had not seen anything like her before. He was smitten.

“Greetings and salutations, my dear.” Milton croaked and immediately regretted the phrase as too formal and outdated. But it was too late.

Oddly she did not seem put off by his choice of words.

She smiled and replied, “Greetings to you as well, kind sir.”

As they chatted, he learned that her name was Marcia. She was an adult European Green Frog and had recently emigrated from Spain. She worked as an ER nurse at the local hospital, a career she loved. Her accent was exotic, he felt he could have listened to her click and croak for hours. As they exchanged numbers, his chest could barely contain his pounding heart.

Milton arrived home a full ninety minutes later than usual. He sat down in his recliner and stared blankly at the dark television screen, his mind raced wildly. This was unfamiliar territory for him. Despite being a self-described frog of the world, Milton had never been in love before and while he wasn’t completely sure, he was convinced that this was it. He retrieved the paper containing Marcia’s number from the pocket of his gray, Toadly Trendy slacks and reached for his phone. Was it too soon to call her? Would a text be better? A date – was that the next step? Ugh! So many questions. He decided to wait.

The next day Milton was back on schedule. He arrived at work at precisely 8:45 and was quickly engrossed in his work. Back-to-back meetings, emails that required attention and generating reports for next week’s board meeting kept him busy and his mind occupied until he took a break for a snack of Wasabi-flavored flies and a can of Swamp Bull. Images of Marcia at the park jumped into his mind. He grabbed his phone and composed a text.

“Marcia. Milton here. The bullfrog from the park last evening. I trust that you are doing well and that your day has not presented you with any unresolvable challenges. My day has been fine. I wanted to express my gratitude for your time last evening and further wanted to express my interest in spending some additional time with you in the coming days.” He pressed send. And waited.

Milton was in a budget meeting when Marcia sent her response. It was almost two hours later before he had a chance to read it.

“Hi Milton! Thanks for your kind words. I too enjoyed our visit and would be very much open to a follow-up meeting. I am available both Friday and Saturday this week if either is acceptable to you. Thanks again, I look forward to your response.”

Milton was thrilled. Perhaps she was the one. The spring mating season was just around the corner and maybe this year would be different. Maybe she would become his partner – a suitable mate to get his parents off his back about becoming grandparents. He contacted Marcia and the date was set.

His hopes were high. Plans were made – reservations booked. Six-thirty on Friday. Dinner at The Gilded Lily Pad, an upscale establishment widely known for exceptional insect dishes such as gnat caviar in a creamy pond foam sauce and wild ant tartlets. The evening would continue with dancing at the new Hop and Stomp Club hosted by DJ Flycatcher. Friday could not come soon enough.

The week continued. Predictable. Routine. Mundane. Milton did his job with his typical efficiency, but his heart wasn’t in it. His focus was off. He couldn’t stop envisioning a new life, a life with Marcia – a life he’d been waiting for his entire life.

Not surprisingly, Milton arrived at precisely six thirty. He sat nervously, awaiting the arrival of his special date – the amazing Marcia. She arrived and was escorted to the table. Milton was stunned by her sequined rainbow dress and fish-net stockings. She was even more beautiful tonight than she was just a few days before. They ordered dinner and resumed their conversation. Just like the chat in the park, the words flowed with ease that you’d be more likely to see in seasoned couples. He laughed; she smiled. As Marcia spoke, Milton was drawn to her words like a moth to the flame (his mind wandered - ah, a moth roasted by a flame – yum).

Their meal was finished, and they headed out to the club where they danced until their webbed feet nearly fell off. Exhausted, they walked, relishing the night lit wonderfully by a harvest moon, and talked even more. By the time they reached the pond where Marcia lived, Milton was ready to pop the question. For the first time in his life, he did not check the time.

With halting words, Milton looked deeply into the eyes of Marcia – the mate he had imagined through countless orderly seasons – and sweetly asked her to be his mate. She paused thoughtfully before kindly responding with a nod, an amazing smile and a simple “yes”.

With the start of mating season just a few weeks away, Milton and Marcia pursued their romance with vigor. An amazing trip to the Calaveras County Fair solidified their love and commitment. They were literally counting the days until those next exciting steps.

On a Tuesday, just before dawn, they successfully mated and it was everything they had both dreamed about. Pleasurable. Fun. And highly productive. With the unseasonably warm weather, the happy couple would only have to wait fifteen days to become parents. And parents they became, as more than 1500 tadpoles happily swam and explored their pond home. Milton knew that less than twenty would survive to become frogs and likely just six to full adulthood. Statistics, even depressing ones, could not dampen the mood as the new parents proudly watched over their brood.

After a three-day paternity leave, Milton returned to work. He reflected on all that had transpired in just the last few weeks. He had found a mate, became a parent and embarked on a new life – all because he broke from his normal routine and took a stroll in the park. The best missed ferry of his life.