sketches for a story

when you live at the beach
you can't just carry on business as usual
at least that's what i think
and for me business as usual would include
a giant bubble of privacy
friends
even if they're friends
aren't supposed to just drop by
hell
business as usual doesn't even include
having people over
we go somewhere, else

now maybe this is just a habit
the going somewhere else
but
it's better exit strategy
and whatever

but
at the beach
part of what's nice about it
is you can sort of live outside
and i start to have more regular patterns
what with the sunrise and the sunset and the watching the surfers and the volleyball
and besides i gotta get to know these people well enough to trust them to teach the puppyfish to surf and whatnot
so i am having to develop strategies
i mean surfer dave can not just drop by anytime to say mahalo
there's writing time
and other time too
that needs sacred-ing

so i'm working out some sort of signs for the door
not like welcome and go away
although, that would be nicely direct
but i'm thinking something that wouldn't be obvious
to the casual observer
something that just looks like the kind of crap
anyone might hang up for decoration at a beach house

like maybe:
a big set of jaws
or a puffer fish
for stay away

but i'm less sure

what says:
i'm busy
but i can talk
and i might have finished that new batch of salmon pemmican
so pop in but maybe don't stay a long time

maybe some cool light up beer sign
for stop in for a beer
but would i ever light that sign
i'd have to if i had it
just how sociable am i willing to be
i don't know
i just know that things are much more casual at the beach
and sooner or later i'll have to have people over