Nine Photos from August

I. The Old Man

He's staring at me, Derek
Don't tell me he's not
I know when I'm being stared at

What does he want?
Give him some money
Give him a nickel, for godsakes

Is he hungry?
Give him your M&M's
Dear Lord, why did we come here?

II. Leave It on the Rocks

I want to dip my toes into it
I want to see how cold it is
I want to test the waters

I don't care if it's dangerous
It's just water
How dangerous can water be?

Is it really water or just air?
Is it just the mist coming off the water?
I can't tell the difference anymore

III. The Journal

I'm writing everything down
Every seemingly meaningless thing
Is going right in this little book

Aren't the flowers on the front pretty?
They're meant to be inviting
Saying--Come on in and write!

Alexa gave it to me
It was my birthday present
Did she get you anything?

IV. The Opera Singer

Why is she crying?
Is she sad because her lover died?
Wait, was that her lover?

Well I certainly hope she wasn't kissing her brother like that
What did he die of?
It looked like food poisoning to me

Derek, you need to take culture in
Not just stand on the sidelines and look at it

Is she dying now or just confused?

V. The Colored Horizon

I went swimming
And I almost didn't come back
Not because I'm suicidal
But because I went blank

I was in the water
And I simply went to a place
Where I knew nothing and was no one
And it was wonderful
I woke up on the horizon

I'm either crazy or happy

VI. The Kitten

Isn't he cute, Derek?
He's meant to cheer me up
Alexa gave him to me
But didn't give me cat food
Bitch

Sorry, I know
She's our daughter

But do you know what she named him?
'Good Luck'

VII. By the Pool

I swore I'd never visit you, Alexa
But you never said there was a pool
I didn't know there were so many pools in L.A.
Pools, pools everywhere

We don't have pools in Maine
We don't have much of anything
And all the water is so murky
I prefer your pools

So...you're getting married?

VIII. My Father's Car

I never understood the point of a car
You couldn't drive
I never understood my father
Keeping this car

If I even looked at it
He'd swear at me
And swat me away like a fly

And now he's gone...

And I know how I'm paying for Alexa's wedding

IX. A Wedding on the Beach

I almost yelled shark, Derek
But I like Brian
So I kept my mouth shut

A tragic mistake that will ruin two lives
Still shouldn't ruin a perfectly sunny day
And besides, we were in the water

How beautiful to get married in the water

Nobody's been able to find the bouquet

I'm almost convinced it stuck to the horizon