An It's It and a Stroll

Is there a finer frozen confection than an It's It? To call it an ice cream sandwich would be to say Seabiscuit was a nice pony. A vanilla delight between graham cookies, encased in chocolate - it approaches perfection, a hand held soul salve.

I rode the bus back to Monterey with Johnny, an acquaintance made during my first stay in jail, renewed during my second stay and again when he entered Sun Street Center's inpatient recovery program. His shaved head and broad smile caught my attention as I boarded at the Salinas transit center.

He's drinking again, sadly, for in spite of having so much to look forward to he just doesn't want to remain sober. He's an exceptionally talented artist in charcoal and in watercolor. He also recognizes that his art is suffering behind his drinking.

Still, it was nice to catch up with him. I saw him periodically at meetings until I moved to the peninsula about a year ago. Today we had a few laughs and exchanged numbers, but I know he won't call. My having remained clean and sober limits the conversation and what he really wants is someone with whom to drink. We went in different directions on arrival in Monterey. We had gone in different directions a year ago.

I walked the bike path to Cannery Row, having stopped to buy my savory treasure on Alvarado St. I was salivating before I exited Walgreen's. Near the Coast Guard pier I paused to observe a kayaking class underway. Despite the wind swept bay's influence, Breakwater Cove was astonishingly clear. Bright yellow and orange kayaks, each with a pair of students, were suspended on a rippled glass film of pale blue-green, revealing a deeper colored floor of rock and sand.

My thoughts and feelings drift and bob, gently rising and falling as I recall a kayak trip of my own. It was with a family that still exists in my heart, if not in my life. We had a most enjoyable time; created a memory I cherish.