The Local

He came to the beach
Every day at sunset
A beer in hand
To watch the surf
And the sun
As it lay itself
Down in ocean blue
He was a regular
He was friendly
And at times
Inappropriate

When I would come for my evening walks
With my dog
I would often take the long way around
To avoid the banter
Of he and his drinking comrades
Whose names and stories
I do not know

He died this week
Was stabbed by a knife
And bled out on the sidewalk
Long after sunset

There were flowers
That covered the stains on the sidewalk
Trinkets
And beer bottles
Left by other locals

One rock read
“It won’t be the same without you”

And I wondered what it meant
Who had loved and cherished his life
Who will miss him

Maybe from now on I will try
Every now and again
Not to walk the long way around,
Maybe to linger
And hear a story or two
That I would have missed otherwise

Stories of colorful characters
Human beings whose lives are intertwined,
From a distance,
With mine