I said the prayer for our first gathering
The weekend we celebrated PawPaw’s life
Months later, of course, through the pandemic

Snagging a Coors from the fridge
I pop the tab and sip the smooth golden
As a memory hits me hard that Friday night

Years ago, I sipped Coors with Rick, my Kroger coworker
Recalling the story in his garden, he said in West Virginia
They were beaten up and robbed, his biker gang that is

Fast-forward a couple years from PawPaw's shindig, Coors again
Was given to me by another: Ganesh, my cousin Brooke's boyfriend
I recalled each occurrence sipping and reading Steinbeck's Cannery Row

TCHKK! Glug, glug. Swallow. Ah...