he was on the verge of the atlantic br where the coast is lined with small br hotels and families on vacation br br when he met her: smiling girl br with sun-browned limbs and br a curious, lopsided smile br br he remembers her now only br in words, adjectives, snatches br of descriptions used in retrospect br br ('blue eyes' or 'sand-colored hair') br br he feels he might be able to form br a picture, part of her face or br possibly a more crude vision, br girl bent, fishing for a dropped br object in the waters of a hotel pool br br spine prominent, br swimsuit white, br and wet, br nearly too small br br and, if not in words, he remembers br the scenery surrounding them: palm trees br balmy night-air, ugly tourists with veined legs br and ugly swim caps br br he remembers saying goodbye, br the way she squinted through br dollar-store sunglasses to maybe br br catch a glimpse of him br in the backseat of his father's car br because he was waving br br hoping he might embroider br upon his thoughts or eyelids br her image br but only remembers br br 'hand on hip' br 'waving lazily' br 'yawning, i think' br br (autumn 2005)br br ryan bloodbr br