Mari

Summertime on the tropical island of San Osipa could make a bear want to wear a bikini and strut its stuff on the beach while sipping a pina colada. The clear blue skies, golden sun and warm breezes are the perfect ingredients for a day at the beach and I couldn’t wait to meet my crew for some fun and frolic in the sun, but on this particular day it was colder than a witch’s tit!

Anyway, as I walked through the center of town on the way to the beach I noticed everyone was wiping the sweat from their brows or nursing cold drinks while I shivered like a naked woman in an ice storm. Even my 5 foot 3, 200 pound staunch Christian grandmother, who says cut off jeans are the devil’s temptation to the gates of hell, was standing in front of the supermarket wearing culottes and of all things a halter top with a yellow flower nestled in her bosom. So you know it’s got to be hot for her to be displaying all that cellulite.

After digesting grandma's getup, I noticed she looked sad, like she’d lost her best friend. Now you’d think I’d be concerned, but I wasn’t because that woman could suck the joy out of life with her mean, controlling ways. She doesn’t know it, but I was through with her when I was nine because she had the nerve to snatch an ice cream cone out of my hand, eat it, and then tell me she did that to protect my teeth from cavities. Well, I guess she should know because her teeth can be found in a jar on the nightstand by her bed.

Anyway, I didn’t want to be bothered with her so I walked by as if I didn’t see her. After I passed her, I turned to see if she saw me, and noticed that she was wiping tears from her eyes. I wonder what happened?

Further down the road I see my cousin Ramon riding his bike. “Ramon! Ramon!” I guess he didn’t hear me as he sped by, but in the blur I saw a yellow flower in his shirt pocket.

Okay, so it’s unusually cold, but no one seems to notice it, and what’s with the yellow flowers today? I’ve experienced weirder things in San Osipa especially during Halloween. Like the time Mrs. Percy, the minister’s wife, dressed up like a prostitute and went door-to-door talking about “trick or treat”, but today takes weird to another level.

Anyway, even though it feels like I’ve got icicles on my eyelashes, I can’t wait to get to the beach to hang out and party like it’s 1999. Yeah, I’m the proverbial party animal that loves to blaze a tree, down a brew and drop it like it’s hot.

So as I approach the beach I see my crew, Delia, Joey, Sabrina, Leila, Brandon, Lewis, with his fine self, and Sheila, but the vibe was totally different. Usually they’d be frolicking and acting a fool blazing trees and gulping cold brews like water, but instead it looked as if carefree gave way to somber as they stood in a circle, heads bowed, each holding a yellow flower.

What’s going on, and what’s with these yellow flowers today?

As I walk up on the crew I call out, “Hey y’all! What’s going on?” No response. They just stood there like statues. “Yo, why y’all iggin me?” No response. Now I’m getting pissed because you do not ignore the queen of the ball. So just as I’m about to slap Lewis upside the head, I see a picture propped up behind some candles in the center of the circle. It’s my high school graduation pic, and the yellow flower is a marigold, the nickname my grandfather Pop Pop gave me.

Then I hear someone calling me, “Marigold.” I look to see who it is and it’s my grandfather. “Pop Pop, what are you doing here?” He just smiled that golden smile of his and opened his arms. Then it hits me, Pop Pop’s dead! He died last year, so either I’m losing my mind or I’m---“ “---yes Marigold, in your sleep last night.”

©2021 Frank E Robinson