Summer in Korea

[spicy_cherries]

Daddy gave me a quarter
and told me to buy two
small apples - one for me
and one for Daniel.

I skipped to the liquor store
flip flops flipping behind
me, fingers around
shiny metal disk.

I did see the basket of apples-
they were red and bulky
hard and shiny and glaring
and two for quarter.

Instead my eyes were on
a basket of white peaches
fuzzy, bulbous but
only one for a quarter

I did not look the cashier
in the eye as I bought it
and avoided my brother
kneeling on the grass

he was too absorbed with
himself, pushing little plastic
cars, so I skipped past him,
hand concealing the peach.

I ate it immediately in the sun,
sinking my teeth in the soft
flushed flesh, and feeling the cold
juices squirt in my mouth.