she told me one day
while we sat on a bench
in the warm sun,
was, when you retire,
don't buy a boat.
your whole life will
revolve around that stupid
boat,
begging people to come
on it every weekend.
asking them to chip in for
gas, or to raise the sails.
drop the anchor and
tie it up mate, or some
such nonsense.
then there's
cleaning it, algae
and barnacles,
the relentless rust,
the insurance, dry docking
it in the winter.
or the trailer
to drag it home.
whatever you do, she said,
don't buy a boat.
i don't ever want to see you
in a Jimmy Buffet
blouse and wearing a little
white captain's hat.
you get no argument
from me, i told her
no boat.
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