Simply Op

09/05/2026 Outside Walk

Saturday a.m., early to wake
Eager for a matcha, a long walk to take
Tiny hearts drawn by the barista on my cup, did delight
Sat for a few minutes, basking in the sun’s bright light
Strolled through the Farmer’s Market, ocean ready
The human activity and waves, anything but steady
Crossed the sand, left right left stepping
Chatted with a fisherman, hook prepping
Working on that enjoy life pause, sat on a bench for a sea stare
Looked at palm trees, took breaths of fresh air
Ran into my favorite guy pal, pretending that was the first time I saw him
Truth is, spotted him earlier and watched him jump into the ocean for a swim
To cross his path, I sort of hoped I would
Married (he is), so on my best behavior, I try to be good
For whatever reason, it is easy to just be myself when he is near
He brings a sense of safe-calm as opposed to anxious-fear
Conversation, seemingly not hard and silence okay
His father to turn 70, Happy Birthday we shall say
His son a natural pianist, cue fatherly proud
Agreement that California is like living on vacation, but with a tendency to crowd
Learned about Dinnerplate Dahlias, Alliums, and Opaleye fish
To have met him a decade+ ago, (hah) my only wish
California loneliness paired with high levels of workplace turnover (stress), kind of broke me-my heart
Every year just felt like another lone season, another superficial restart
Past is past, my human struggle was real
Now, moving forward with the intent to home heal
Back to the present, showed him the fake seals on the rocks, the infinity pool, the steep ramp with the best step in all the land
Sandals off repeat, the initial step from hard pavement to soft sand
To live in a mansion proximal to the beach, hard to imagine that type of fate
An old rustic farmhouse or a cute lake side cabin (maybe), hah can’t afford this state
Footprints leaving a trail, only to later be washed away
I (emphasis) parked on Iris, hah, a good one to remember today
Will we cross paths again before I depart?
One last walk, swim, or heart-to-heart? ❤

The End – xo