i wasn't sure if the three of us would get on  

joan and emily and i   we're getting on—famously

a regular gigglefest   truth or dare

and mangos on the beach on a hot day will do that 

joan   out of costume   it's a little hard to see

the rock star   until she gets that look  

that edge   then laughs that laugh

that comes with a kind of knowledge i'll never have

emily is shy and retiring   modest   but funny as sin  

wicked funny  easily distracted   tossing bits

of sourdough to the gulls   which is a mistake  

like petting   a lab   labrador   they never relent

an offshore breeze drives that l.a. heat back where it belongs  

that is   somewhere else  and the conversation drifts  

and the occasional seal or dolphin glides by  

and i drift a bit myself   thinking of friends here and now  

and ones i've lost along the way

i rise from my yellow and white striped towel

behind me santa monica   with its eighty-three dollar parking fines

and its waddle or gaggle or plethora

of aspiring   and quite successful   screen writers

taking up space in cafes   phoning halle berry 

or arranging who   thee or i   will take dylan to soccer practice

who will stop at bob's to pick up dinner

to the north is malibu   which i don't understand

and to the south   somewhere   is long beach

i see the tankers to the southwest 

waiting to unload   i walk to the water's edge   land's end

step in   it's cool   i shuffle   shooing away rays and skates

then dive into the incoming surf   coming up

spouting salt water   which makes me smile   and cough

then swim out   toward the surfers   though not so far

as to catch the attention of the the lifeguards

with their orange buoys   keeping the swimmers in close   safe  

floating on my back   rising and falling with the waves

i see blue and blue and blue   and jet and jet and jet   taking off from l.a.x.  

why would anyone leave this place   on such a day  

with such friends at hand   and memories  and dreams of days to come  

looking back   literally  i see joan and emily talking

about what i don't know   but they're laughing   and that too makes me smile