Found Treasure

Writing on The Dock of The Bay

Treasures can be found at the Dock's free pile: pink flamingo cups, books by Hesse and Erdrich, 501's - just my size, a topiary giraffe, half a birthday cake, a barely opened bottle of gin. Some days I tell myself - just keep walking -  but then I discover a framed history of Singing Toad Fish, snag a tiny photo album with        b & w snapshots -  no names - struck as I am by its sadness. I donate a jacket, it disappears, then reappears. I try not to take it personally! I wonder if dinner guests will recognize yellow soup bowls, or my new swordfish shirt.  Sometimes I wonder who didn't finish their cake, who is on the wagon, who donated those Penis Puppetry books?! I have my ideas. By far my best dock find is the pole net, used to retrieve a plastic saber floating by, and rescue tongs that fell overboard during the heat of a bbq. Surely pole net would've saved the day when neighbors watched their key ring with yellow float fall in the water and drift away. As I gaze at a recently found artichoke platter and Mad Bum bobble head, I think - today I'll walk away from the pile. Easier said than done; especially when I spy a new purse with matching boots. Leather.