Dragoncrest Cliffs friendly, but not your friend.

it was more than bad judgment
that brought cayetano to the grey shores.
a score of misfires,
a string of unpleasant deeds,
his life is a sample of wrong decisions
made at every turn
one sorry page at a time.

he measures this boy
with a long look.
this shore must breed different,
he decides.
whip-thin and creepy girls,
taciturn and proud boys.
not an adult in sight.

he's not one for guessing games;
he lacks the imagination, see.
and this boy is too stern a study
to know in one blustery afternoon.
okay.
he sighs and fetches the skull
mind made as the boy scowls in suspicion.
i'll be back.
he bends down to pick up the skull
takes one breath and winks:
with a better proposal. you wait.
he does not linger
once his talisman is collected
he trots loosely towards the sound
finally given some direction
and grateful for it.