Living in the Present

The sun was setting on the west side of the house over the marsh as we sat on the east side of the house on the Bleoved Back Deck under Fran's thousand shades of green. The Palm tree with the oyster eyes, coconut bra and grass skirt was smiling at all of the new yard art I've placed everywhere. Two wooden fish now adorn the wooden fence along with a giant iton cross, a sun, moon, stars, hanging baskets of blooming flowers, an "It's 5 o'clock somewhere" sign, two "Fisk Naked" signs and three things that look like church windows with the ocean on the other side. There's also these funcky things that Rocky left that glow in the dark. The Back deck is full of flowers, the grill, a frog with a crystal ball on its head that my Mom gave me, a "Clothing Optional Beyond this point" sign that Conner and Hania gave me for my birthday, various wind chimes that the girls brought when they moved in, a "Beach Break" sign with a broken clock that my sister gave me, and a rock that says "Imagine" that Cheryl left for me in the middle of the bad days. I like the way the yard is becoming an artistic expression of who I am ... whatever that is. Sitting outside we were feasting on spaghetti, salad and bread. Goddess and Winston, the little gay dog, ran around the eight feet hanging from the tall chairs under the table which is under the colorful umbrella. It was balmy with a slight ocean breeze. Dedra was being eaten alive by "no-see-ums" but the rest of us were fine. Sarah and I are finally home in what seems like forever with no plans on the horizon. We had a visiting dignitary, Shirely Sessions, so everything was clean and perfect! We really haven't seen Shirley in a while so the conversation turned to her catching us up on things we really haven't been thinking about ... Savannah. Specially, we wanted to know about certain people: Kim, Greg, Peter, Michael and ... a son-of-a-bitch named Mark. We talked politics and about her guests at the Blue Bird, her bed-and-breakfast, and a little bit about Tybee Island which is home. A little after nine, Shirley was ready to take a walk. Dedra went with her. Wonderful husband that I am, the house was already clean and the dishwasher was humming. Sarah and I collapsed on the large brown U-shaped sofe that sucks you in and never wants to let you go. The television was on but we were't paying attention. Truth be told ... we were petting. The windows were open and the ocean breeze was drawn in by the ceiling fans. Half-a-moon threw off enough light that we really didn't need lights. Winston, the little gay dog, lay near Sarah. Goddess was carefully watching us from the floor. It had been interesting re-visiting a place and its people with Shirley. It's like running into someone whose been to the same places that you have. You share what you have in common ... "Oh I went there. It was great!" ... or, "Yes, I met him. I didn't think he was all that." After a quarter-of-a-century of intensity, where that was my life, it's now surreal ... like talking about a dream. It is what was. This morning Sarah is still asleep ... our petting lasted a long time. Goddess and Winston, the little gay dog, are laying under my feet on the Beloved Back Deck. Fran's thousand shades of green are dancing in the ocean breeze. The sun is smiling down from the east, resting in the hair of the Palm Tree with the oyster eyes, cocnut bra and grass skirt. Birds are singing Hymns to the glory of the day. This is what is. I like living in the present. It's so much better than the past.