4 swimming pool There's an abandoned swimming pool two streets down, and we go in through the back door.

1 Laida Laida stayed with Sam, happy baby of the winos and the canyon bums.

3 Francesca You have to explain how you take ancient houses and imaginary boys and girls with sad eyes- pomegranates and bougainvillea and little kids with stars on their cheekbones- and make them magic. tribute and imitation at once.

2 past summers twelve seasons of heat and ice cream and sprinklers in the front yard. written for the CSSSA program.

5my mother's name Was it your unfamiliarity, at the time, you being a kid with a bike and a crooked nose and the same name as my mother?

4 pacific coast highway feeling the sound vibrate in their teeth

6 cracklewind He can still make out the unsteady shape of her mouth.

5 Natural summer things The vague sweetness of summer: it felt natural. You felt natural, at the time. [it could turn into a collection, but I'm too afraid to promise you anything.]

2 Crayola sky I knew that feeling, the feeling of being punch drunk on the briny salt air, that feeling of looking out toward the horizon and knowing you can never see it all. [rated K, oneshot]

4 Kneeling ATTN Dr. Larch: There is little to no progress. Case suspended.