THE FIRST SUMMER WAS PURE HAPPINESS.

We were making Persona on the island.

It was hot. I was experiencing another human being. He was experiencing me. And we didn’t need to talk about it. I was barefoot in sand so fine it felt as if it breathed beneath my feet.

During the day I would lie on the ground and read between takes. And my head felt heavy, almost as if I were unconscious.

I never wondered what might come of our relationship. It was as if I were living within soft walls of sunlight and desire and happiness.

No summer since has ever been like that. Not like that. We went for walks along the shore and never spoke, made no demands, were not afraid.

Once we wandered far from the others, discovered a small ridge of gray stones with barren, unfertile earth beyond. We sat and looked at the sea, which for once lay completely still in the sunlight.

He took my hand in his and said:

“I had a dream last night. That you and I are painfully connected.”

On the spot where we were sit ting he built his house.

And that changed his life. And mine.