Silent and alone
Graham sat at the edge of the tide
in his folding chair
waiting for the last peace
with only his cane for company.

A breath of air
carried a salt spray from the ocean
and blew bitingly across his face.

He waited
motionless
thinking of the years gone by
of the flowers and friends
all faded now
into the past.

He could remember the joy of just living
of waking with a new dawn gently filling the room.

Most of all though he remembered Mary
She'd been good to him
"Never fret" she'd say
"let me help you".

But when she was gone
no one came around any more.

His cane drifted off now
as the tide swirled round his hips
the water pulled and tugged at him.

But he waited.

It would not be a long wait.

Decaying algae
tossed about by the waves
clung to him.

As the water rose
the stench of the algae grew.

But to Graham it didn't matter.