LatinosUSA

and all they had under the overcast sky

was a small boat they

shared

The old man would drink from

afternoon till morning

and sleep all day

He wasn’t good for much. Had cancer

of the liver and enough

kidney stones to add about

a newborn’s weight in his core

“So I’m drinking,” he said. “Cuz I wanna

bring it earlier. My end.”

“Well,” said the girl. “You’re drinking

my money. I work hard

for that shit, you know?”

“Shut up,” said the old man. “You’ll have

all the money in the world

after I’m gone. You can sell

the boat and

maybe borrow some money and get yourself

a small, cozy apartment

somewhere.”

“You’re delusional,” said the girl. “With

the money this boat’s worth

I’ll be lucky to get me a

doormat. Used.”

“Don’t be disrespectful now,” said the old

man. “I love this here boat

like my wife.”

“You never had a wife.”

“Well shit! I love her as if she

were my wife, okay? And she’s

worth something. She’s worth

a lot, I tell you. If you think she won’t

be enough to get you

started nicely in life, well, you should’ve

gotten yourself a husband.”

“I don’t need a fucking husband. I’ll

get one after I get

out of poverty, not before.”

The old man watched the gray

clouds above. It might

as well have been

grass to his eyes. “Oh, I sure hope to

see that day

from the other world. You think I’ll

have to look up to see it?

Or down?”

The girl didn’t

answer

“Anyway,” said the old man. “I’m sure it’ll

happen one day, my dear. Until

then… Keep writing, okay? You’ll come

out with the hit eventually. I know I

haven’t been of much use

to you in this life. But hey, maybe in the next.

Maybe, as God reaches with his

hand to take me above, I’ll bite off his

little finger and spit it

on the boat to you. Use it as a pen. See if

you’ll write with it

a story no eye could ever ignore. I want

this for you, my dear.

Even if I’ll trade my heaven for it.”

“Oh, you crazy

old man.”

“I’m a serious crazy old man. Crazy

enough to see heaven

in you making it with your writings, dear.

Thus, no matter how bad or evil I’ve

been I know I’ll be going

to heaven. I believe

in you.”

She said nothing. Handed him a can

of beer and

went back to her writing