the woman in the French bikini

while tanning

himself in the backyard,

stretched

out on a plastic lawn chair,

cradling

a cold beer

in his hand.

i cautiously asked my

father if he'd

like to play

catch.

he squinted at me in the blazing

sun, 

and said, what?

it's a little hot for that,

isn't it?

maybe later, okay.

then i looked over at the yard

beside ours,

and saw

the woman

in a French bikini putting

coconut oil on.

sure dad, i said.

sure.