last night i played chess with my brother
he always played white
he could never understand
why he should not always play white
he had one oreo cookie left on the board
and i only had a chocolate chip cookie left
he asked if i conceded
and i did
he suggested another game
and i agreed, if i could play white
he got up angrily and left the room
outside, the red sox were playing the giants
and a plane flew low overhead
under a few thin clouds
i wondered why i had returned to san francisco
as it had changed so much from the days of ambrose bierce and jack london
