said his thoughts aloud
many times – there was no one
that they could annoy
He did not remember when he had first started to talk aloud when he was by himself.
He had sung when he was by himself in the old days and he had sung at night sometimes when he was alone steering on his watch in the smacks or in the turtle boats.
He had probably started to talk aloud, when alone, when the boy had left.
But he did not remember.
When he and the boy fished together they usually spoke only when it was necessary.
They talked at night or when they were storm-bound by bad weather.
It was considered a virtue not to talk unnecessarily at sea and the old man had always considered it so and respected it.
But now he said his thoughts aloud many times since there was no one that they could annoy.
From The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (Charles Scribner’s Sons. 1952).
When I have to be in the office, I like to go in early.
I get to see the sunrise out of the Atlantic Ocean.
I get to drive through an empty resort town with too many people still asleep from their efforts to enjoy this resort town.
I get to the office early.
The ladies who clean the resort buildings are just finishing up with the offices.
I often catch them vacuuming.
They often catch me with their vacuuming.
So sorry sir, they mummer.
Worried they might annoy me I guess.
Da Nada, I reply.
I learn their names and say buenos dias but they always call me sir.
I work at desk in the quiet and the ladies come in and empty the wastebaskets and clean the desktops … and they see the pictures of me and my grand children.
I also showed the ladies pictures of my new grand daughter and they laugh and smile and congratulate me.
I enjoy the quiet.
And I wonder, what do these ladies think of me and pictures.
No Haiku For You 