Like waves crashing to their demise on the jagged jetties of destiny, men would willingly drown in Laura’s wake. Her utterly guileless demeanor melted the hearts of men and women alike.   In fact, her two best friends, Clair and Jill, often referred to her manner as somewhat ethereal. They also believed that she had psychic abilities because of the odd experiences they had with her while staying for weekend jaunts at the lighthouse in Brookings Oregon.  But now the odd experience was circumspect because the current trip to the lighthouse was unnerving.

A few years back, Laura, while driving along the Oregon coast with her friends, suggested they tour the old Green Meadow lighthouse.  Much to their surprise they learned from their guide that the lighthouse and surrounding property was for sale.  Privately owned prior to the federal surplus laws governing the sale of historic property it had fallen into disrepair, and was now on the auction block.  After the tour they got back on the road, headed onward in search of more adventures.  Clair and Jill cracked a lot of jokes about buying the place for a vacation home.  With tongue in cheek, Clair said, “And it would be something to do on the weekends besides meeting for drinks at the Blue Fog pub”; as she usually called the place due to the constant cloud of cigarette smoke. 

Staring silently out the car window up to now, Laura said, “You’re absolutely right!  I’ll buy it and we can have some wonderful times beach combing.”  Of course, this set off another round of deep belly laughter.  What Jill and Clair did not know was that Laura was extremely wealthy.  She lived modestly and worked as a columnist for a high end fashion design magazine.  They were aware that her family lived on the North Shore of Long Island, known as the Gold Coast and brought to public attention by Nelson DeMille’s book, but simply assumed that neither Laura, nor her family were part of the gentry.  A month later, much to the shock and awe of her friends, and in her usual sedate manner, Laura announced that she had purchased the Green Meadow property.  Of course it took a bit of explaining, but eventually plans were made to visit the property and break it in with a ‘girls night out’.  The light house had become their official club house.  Over the past 5 years they enjoyed many parties and of course invited an assortment of friends from work.   All three lived and worked in San Francisco and the drive to Brookings was 10 hours. They planned their three day weekends with care, leaving work early on Friday and arriving at the lighthouse by midnight.