White/Blue
There’s a man, right off the shore, who doesn’t ever visit. He’s a sweet man, I know, I bring him fruit from the market, and he’s always kind. He nods all the time, always agreeing with you, even when you haven’t said a thing. Barely says a word actually. Gives you the money and nods. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever even heard his voice. Wonder if he even has one.
He’s got this little shack, built up on stilts. It’s an ivory white, think maybe he sanded the wood himself. Seems like its all driftwood, can’t imagine any wood from a store that gnarled up. Big gaps, from stick to stick. The breeze just rolls on through it, like it’s not even there. He’s got it propped up just above the water, just so those clear blue licks can’t lap their way up the posts. There’s a little walkway too, from the beach to his hut, it’s just one room. I set the food down, but there’s no table. Just a bunch of blankets and bedding, looks like. Can’t imagine there’s anything under there, not even the old rinds, nothing. I don’t go in there, seems like he’s done a good job of keeping the sand out.
This had been going on a couple months, you know, me taking him the fruit. I started to wonder, like I’m sure you are, what does he do? I don’t think I ever even saw a book in that shack, so what did he do? Well I found out, I had to. I stuck around after dropping off his fruit, peeking around the corner towards the back of his hut, it’s open back there, covered with some sort of sheet, same white as the house.
So this man pulls back the sheet and dips his toes in the water. Got this long white beard, longer than any beard I ever seen before, and it kinda moves through the water like a tail when he sits there, soaking his feet. Puts his elbows on his knees and just sits there and stares out to the ocean, and kind of smiles, like a real tiny smirk, or maybe that’s just cause his beard’s so big.
For ten minutes I sat there, watching this man, while this man watched the ocean. Only once did he move, he held up some mango and a gull swooped down and took it from his fingers. He watched it fly away, and kicked his feet a bit, but then right back to staring.
Anyway, I took his order to him today, and he wasn’t there. I don’t know, guess I’m just a little worried.
