Fog moved in this afternoon. It’s not too heavy in town, or back of the bluffs where I live. But down on the water, it’s pretty thick. Which is usually OK – nice, in fact. It makes it very plain that I live close to the ocean, especially when the fog horn sounds. Gives everything an air of mystery, like an old San Francisco film noir detective flick, or maybe I’m in Men Don’t Dance by Norman Mailer.

Tonight, it’s not good. It’s a bad thing. A couple of hours ago, a 19-year-old kid disappeared, boogie-boarding near the pier at Pismo Beach. His board came in, but not him. People were searching – of course they were – but visibility was bad. Thick as pea soup. And when I saw it on the local news, they’d been searching for over an hour. They were getting ready to call it off at dark. It’s been dark over an hour now, and I fear the worst for his family and friends.

Update: The kid is OK. I don’t know the details yet, but a local newsblurb said he “survived in the ocean.” Thanks, God.