There once was a man who took his boat to the middle of the lake every night. In the fall, he would lay there counting stars in his favorite flannel jacket. In the winter, he pushed that same boat onto the frozen water to welcome Orion and watch his breath ascend towards the Milky Way. In the spring, he caught ambitious bass and pike. He thanked each one before sending them back into the cool depths. When the summer began, he stayed on the water all night singing with the loons. And on the first night of July, he paddled to the lake’s center in his Sunday best. There, he smiled at the summer moon in all her beauty. How he missed her! He read her letters about his day, stories about imagined adventures together, and poems about their love. When she became full and bright, she left the sky to embrace him. His face swam in her dark hair when she placed her head on his chest. It smelled of saffron and rose. They would float there until both were asleep. In the morning, when he was alone again, the man drifted back to shore. He returned every night, waiting for her.