Theypickedupthegearfromtheboat.Theoldmancarriedthemastonhisshoulderandtheboycarriedthewoodenboatwiththecoiled,hard-braidedbrownlines,thegaffandtheharpoonwithitsshaft.Theboxwiththebaitswasunderthesternoftheskiffalongwiththeclubthatwasusedtosubduethebigfishwhentheywerebroughtalongside.Noonewouldstealfromtheoldmanbutitwasbettertotakethesailandtheheavylineshomeasthedewwasbadforthemand,thoughhewasquitesurenolocalpeoplewouldstealfromhim,theoldmanthoughtthatagaffandaharpoonwereneedlesstemptationstoleaveinaboat.
Theywalkeduptheroadtogethertotheoldman』sshackandwentinthroughitsopendoor.Theoldmanleanedthemastwithitswrappedsailagainstthewallandtheboyputtheboxandtheothergearbesideit.Themastwasnearlyaslongastheoneroomoftheshack.Theshackwasmadeofthetoughbudshieldsoftheroyalpalmwhichwerecalledguanoandinittherewasabed,atable,onechair,andaplaceonthedirtfloortocookwithcharcoal.Onthebrownwallsoftheflattened,overlappingleavesofthesturdyfiberedguanotherewasapictureincoloroftheSacredHeartofJesusandanotheroftheVirginofCobre.Thesewererelicsofhiswife.Oncetherehadbeenatintedphotographofhiswifeonthewallbuthehadtakenitdownbecauseitmadehimtoolonelytoseeitanditwasontheshelfinthecornerunderhiscleanshirt.
「Whatdoyouhavetoeat?」theboyasked.
「Apotofyellowricewithfish.Doyouwantsome?」
「No.Iwilleatathome.Doyouwantmetomakethefire?」
「No.Iwillmakeitlateron.OrImayeatthericecold.」
「MayItakethecastnet?」
「Ofcourse.」
Therewasnocastnetandtheboyrememberedwhentheyhadsoldit.Buttheywentthroughthisfictioneveryday.Therewasnopotofyellowriceandfishandtheboyknewthistoo.
「Eighty-fiveisaluckynumber,」theoldmansaid.「Howwouldyouliketoseemebringoneinthatdressedoutoverathousandpounds?」
「I』llgetthecastnetandgoforsardines.Willyousitinthesuninthedoorway?」
「Yes.Ihaveyesterday』spaperandIwillreadthebaseball.」
Theboydidnotknowwhetheryesterday』spaperwasafictiontoo.Buttheoldmanbroughtitoutfromunderthebed.
「Pericogaveittomeatthebodega,」heexplained.
「I』llbebackwhenIhavethesardines.I』llkeepyoursandminetogetheroniceandwecansharetheminthemorning.WhenIcomebackyoucantellmeaboutthebaseball.」
「TheYankeescannotlose.」
「ButIfeartheIndiansofCleveland.」
「HavefaithintheYankeesmyson.ThinkofthegreatDiMaggio.」
「IfearboththeTigersofDetroitandtheIndiansofCleveland.」
「BecarefuloryouwillfeareventheRedsofCincinnatiandtheWhiteSaxofChicago.」
「YoustudyitandtellmewhenIcomeback.」
「Doyouthinkweshouldbuyaterminalofthelotterywithaneighty-five?Tomorrowistheeighty-fifthday.」
「Wecandothat,」theboysaid.「Butwhatabouttheeighty-sevenofyourgreatrecord?」
「Itcouldnothappentwice.Doyouthinkyoucanfindaneighty-five?」
「Icanorderone.
「Onesheet.That』stwodollarsandahalf.Whocanweborrowthatfrom?」
「That』seasy.Icanalwaysborrowtwodollarsandahalf.」
「IthinkperhapsIcantoo.ButItrynottoborrow.Firstyouborrow.Thenyoubeg.」
「Keepwarmoldman,」theboysaid.「RememberweareinSeptember.」
「Themonthwhenthegreatfishcome,」theoldmansaid.「AnyonecanbeafishermaninMay.」
「Igonowforthesardines,」theboysaid.
Whentheboycamebacktheoldmanwasasleepinthechairandthesunwasdown.Theboytooktheoldarmyblanketoffthebedandspreaditoverthebackofthechairandovertheoldman』sshoulders.Theywerestrangeshoulders,stillpowerfulalthoughveryold,andtheneckwasstillstrongtooandthecreasesdidnotshowsomuchwhentheoldmanwasasleepandhisheadfallenforward.Hisshirthadbeenpatchedsomanytimesthatitwaslikethesailandthepatcheswerefadedtomanydifferentshadesbythesun.Theoldman』sheadwasveryoldthoughandwithhiseyesclosedtherewasnolifeinhisface.Thenewspaperlayacrosshiskneesandtheweightofhisarmhelditthereintheeveningbreeze.Hewasbarefooted.
Theboylefthimthereandwhenhecamebacktheoldmanwasstillasleep.
「Wakeupoldman,」theboysaidandputhishandononeoftheoldman』sknees.
Theoldmanopenedhiseyesandforamomenthewascomingbackfromalongwayaway.Thenhesmiled.
「Whathaveyougot?」heasked.
「Supper,」saidtheboy.「We』regoingtohavesupper.」
「I』mnotveryhungry.」
「Comeonandeat.Youcan』tfishandnoteat.」
「Ihave,」theoldmansaidgettingupandtakingthenewspaperandfoldingit.Thenhestartedtofoldtheblanket.
「Keeptheblanketaroundyou,」theboysaid.「You』llnotfishwithouteatingwhileI』malive.」
「Thenlivealongtimeandtakecareofyourself,」theoldmansaid.「Whatareweeating?」
「Blackbeansandrice,friedbananas,andsomestew.」
Theboyhadbroughttheminatwo-deckermetalcontainerfromtheTerrace.Thetwosetsofknivesandforksandspoonswereinhispocketwithapapernapkinwrappedaroundeachset.
「Whogavethistoyou?」
「Martin.Theowner.」
「Imustthankhim.」
「Ithankedhimalready,」theboysaid.「Youdon』tneedtothankhim.」
「I』llgivehimthebellymeatofabigfish,」theoldmansaid.「Hashedonethisforusmorethanonce?」
「Ithinkso.」
「Imustgivehimsomethingmorethanthebellymeatthen.Heisverythoughtfulforus.」
「Hesenttwobeers.」
「Ilikethebeerincansbest.」
「Iknow.Butthisisinbottles,Hatueybeer,andItakebackthebottles.」
「That』sverykindofyou,」theoldmansaid.「Shouldweeat?」
「I』vebeenaskingyouto,」theboytoldhimgently.「Ihavenotwishedtoopenthecontaineruntilyouwereready.」
「I』mreadynow,」theoldmansaid.「Ionlyneededtimetowash.」