By: Clayton Mastorakis
The old man laid in his bed, on his face. The boy sat right there next to him, just watching him sleep.
“What is wrong?” the boy asked him, with a look of worry on his face. “I caught the marlin.” the old man responded bluntly.
“Than what is wrong?” the boy asked, confused by this response.
“It was eaten by a shark, and it died for nothing, no reason for it to die.” Santiago said, now sounding kind of depressed.
Santiago got up, and walked out of the door, on to the street. He had told the boy that he had not eaten in a few days, and that he was going to the market, for something to eat. The market was just down the street, so he knew that it would not take very long to get some meat, get his strength back, and go fishing again.
When Santiago got back to his house, the boy was waiting for him to get back. The boy helped him unpack the fish the old man had bought at the market. While helping the old man, the boy had noticed his cut up hands.
“You weren’t going fishing again with your hands like that, are you?” The boy asked, with a look of disapproval.
“I was going to take a brake for a few days, then go back out to fish again.” the man replied.
“Good.” the boy said
The old man ate very well for the next few days, getting his strength up, and plotting how he will go at his next fishing trip. Will he bring invite the boy? If he does that then he will need to bring extra food and water, which will slow him down. On the other hand, it would be nice to have some company on his next trip out. It would also be nice to take a break by giving the boy the fishing pole, and letting him try fishing for a change. That will also give the old man a break from holding the pole, and that might help his hands, which were still soar from days ago.
The day that the old man was going fishing again, he went to the boys house and asked the boy’s mom if the boy could go fishing with him.
“I heard about the marlin, and your hands. Are you sure you want to go fishing again, especially with your hands like they are?” The boy’s mother asked with a sound of concern for her boy and the old man in her voice.
“Yes, I am sure I am ready to go fishing, and especially with your son.” The old man replied, confidently.
“Alright, you can take my boy fishing.” She said, but not as confidently as the old man had hoped
She turned around to call the boy down from his loft, but he was standing right behind her, ready for the old man’s fishing trip. The boy was anticipating the old man and his fishing trip for such a long time e already had his bags packed, and was ready to go.
“You ready to go?” asked the old man
“YES!!” yelled the boy, not being able to keep his excitement contained inside of him
“Lets go!” the old man replied, surprised that the boy had been looking forward to going fishing with him for such a long time.
They both walked out to the docks together, they looked the the most out of place pair that most people had ever seen. They got into the skiff, and started to sail out to sea, to fish.
As they got out to sea, the boy got a tug on his line. It was his third fish that he caught with the old man. This was a big deal, and it was not only meant in the literal sense, but it was an important deal. It was the biggest fish that the boy had ever caught.
“Can I keep it, to show to my mother, and then sell?” the boy asked with excitement.
“Yes, you can keep it to show to your mother, and then sell.” the old man replied seeing that the boy was overly ecstatic.
“Just don’t let it get eaten by sharks.” the old man joked
“Alright.” said the boy
The old man helped the boy get the fish into the boat. After that, they headed back, to show the boy’s mother and then sell it. After they showed the boy’s mother, they sold it, just as the old man had promised. they had sold the fish for $45, which could feed the boy, his mother, and the old man for weeks to come.
