She said,
this is where the ocean begins.

salty and gentle
and rocking with a steady push
a steady pull.

splashing
and diving,
splashing and feeling with our feet for the sand.

the ocean pulled us outward,
the tide: eastward,
our legs: toward the shore.

striking a balance,
old friends,
a mister bush, a mister higgins,
the third and second kiss to a miss rowe, respectively,
respectfully: walking in the street.
a young lady with a name I won't try to spell, out the driveway, first left, half a block down.

800 miles from home is a lot closer than 2,000