Старик и море

           Asthesunsetheremembered,togivehimselfmoreconfidence,thetimeinthetavernatCasablanca whenhehadplayedthehandgamewiththegreatnegrofromCienfuegos whowasthestrongestmanonthedocks. Theyhadgoneonedayandonenightwiththeirelbowsonachalklineonthetableandtheirforearmsstraightupandtheirhandsgrippedtight. Eachonewastryingtoforcetheother’shanddownontothetable. Therewasmuchbettingandpeoplewentinandoutoftheroomunderthekerosenelights andhehadlookedatthearmandhandofthenegroandatthenegro’sface. Theychangedtherefereeseveryfourhoursafterthefirsteightsothattherefereescouldsleep. Bloodcameoutfromunderthefingernailsofbothhisandthenegro’shandsandtheylookedeachotherintheeyeandattheirhandsandforearms andthebettorswentinandoutoftheroom andsatonhighchairsagainstthewallandwatched. Thewallswerepaintedbrightblueandwereofwoodandthelampsthrewtheirshadowsagainstthem. Thenegro’sshadowwashugeanditmovedonthewallasthebreezemovedthelamps. 

           Theoddswouldchangebackandforthallnight andtheyfedthenegrorumandlightedcigarettesforhim. Thenthenegro,aftertherum,wouldtryforatremendouseffortandoncehehadtheoldman, whowasnotanoldmanthenbutwasSantiagoElCampeon, nearlythreeinchesoffbalance. Buttheoldmanhadraisedhishanduptodeadevenagain. Hewassurethenthathehadthenegro, whowasafinemanandagreatathlete,beaten.