Старик и море

           Hewatchedhislinestoseethemgostraightdownoutofsightintothewaterandhewashappytoseesomuchplanktonbecauseitmeantfish. Thestrangelightthesunmadeinthewater,nowthatthesunwashigher,meantgoodweatherandsodidtheshapeofthecloudsovertheland. Butthebirdwasalmostoutofsightnowandnothingshowedonthesurfaceofthewaterbutsomepatchesofyellow,sun-bleachedSargassoweedandthepurple, formalized,iridescent,gelatinousbladderofaPortugueseman-of-warfloatingclosebesidetheboat. Itturnedonitssideandthenrighteditself. Itfloatedcheerfullyasabubblewithitslongdeadlypurplefilamentstrailingayardbehinditinthewater. 

           "Aguamala,"themansaid."Youwhore." 

           Fromwhereheswunglightlyagainsthisoarshelookeddownintothewaterandsawthetinyfishthatwerecolouredlikethetrailingfilaments andswambetweenthemandunderthesmallshadethebubblemadeasitdrifted. Theywereimmunetoitspoison. Butmenwerenotandwhensomeofthefilamentswouldcatchonalineandrestthereslimyandpurplewhiletheoldmanwasworkingafish, hewouldhaveweltsandsoresonhisarmsandhandsofthesortthatpoisonivyorpoisonoakcangive. Butthesepoisoningsfromtheaguamalacamequicklyandstrucklikeawhiplash. 

           Theiridescentbubbleswerebeautiful. Buttheywerethefalsestthingintheseaandtheoldmanlovedtoseethebigseaturtleseatingthem.