Along the Oceanside

As we walked the warm air broke and swept over me like waves. I puffed on a sweet cigar passing the seafood placed down by the marina. “we went the wrong way.” The boats locked behind a cage sat vacant next to the boardwalk where a thousand people played. The salt clung to you like the smoke in the air, sweet and salty the pair. Passing families we joked and toked. A stretcher came out of the clouds. Four men carried it, but none spoke. Five came back, all breathing heavy and scared. Along the rocks I found a moment in between the time I exhaled and when the waves snuck up on me. I pulled out a new cigar and lit it as we walked. Smoke rose, from me and the pits circled by teens. It was Friday night, I forgot. Work Tomorrow. The smoke sweet like honey drizzled itself upon me whether I liked it or not. Walking back along the West side of the marina we found a parking lot. I shook the ashes off and they stuck to me like snow in the warm August evening. Ahead a group of people gathered watching something. In his sun-baked lawn chair he caught a manta ray. He alternated wiggling the pole and pulling on the whiskey. The polygon squirmed along the waters edge and I turned away, taking another pull off my sweet cigar. Later, crossing the highway towards the ‘Oceanside Motel’ I thought how hot it is now at the end of my cigar and inhaled harder. I sat on the patio and a wind blows, wiping me down, cooling me off, but not cleaning away everything.