Glow Time

He was tanned, and he was happy. Maybe, he thought, if he maintained such a pigment, he would be happy forever. But he couldn't, and he didn't, his tan fading to the pale of winter before the leaves even turned. He went on about his life, layering his skin and the memories with heavy fabrics, until finally, he found himself again sitting on a beach, a straw hat low on his head, and he smiled for what felt like the first time all year.