This couple, sitting at sunset on the boardwalk wall that lines Mission Beach for more than two miles, seem to be virtually alone among hundreds of passing strollers. By isolating them against an empty beach, and bathing them in the golden light of early evening, I am able to find a moment in time that best expresses a contemplative mood. She holds a drink to her lips, and stares into the distance. However, the man holds a cell phone in his hand. If it should ring, the contemplative mood will vanish.