14-020

The Old Man and the Wallet

The old man and the young girl had arrived at the airport in Key West. It had been 84 hours since the old man had visited a gift shop. It made the young girl sad to see the old man without shopping bags---his wallet so full.

“Your wallet is fat and I want to help.”

“You are my wife. You help too much.”

The first 40 hours the young girl smiled and treated the old man with affection, but now she was sad. With her sadness, the unluckiness arrived. It had been 30 hours since the old man had gotten lucky. He was feeling cachonda, which was the worst form of unlucky.

Upon arriving in their hotel room, the young girl said, “Lie down old man and I will bring you a clean shirt and something to eat.” Then the young girl began to caress his shoulders. Her mother didn’t want her to marry the anciano. She told her he was a tacano, the worst kind of a husband. But the girl knew that the old man was weak and easy to manage when luck was going his way. As she massaged his shoulders, she purred, “You are a great man. I remember you carrying 36 shopping bags and a Victorian lamp two years ago.”

“You had special saddle bags made for my shoulders. I’m old and skinny and the saddle bags no longer fit.”

“Old man you make me sad.”

“What can I do sweetheart?,” he asked.

“I want to go shopping,” she said as she left the room.

The old man rose and walked slowly to his wallet. When he picked it up, he noticed that it was gaunt and had a slight tear in the bill compartment. The old man sobbed for his friend. He quickly composed himself. He didn’t want the young girl to see him cry.

The young girl re-entered the room and said, “Today we will go to Duval Street. I have heard there are many shops.” The old man sighed, but then he remembered the return of his luck and was happy.

As they approached Duval Street, a gift shop appeared on the horizon. However, the sun beamed into the young girl’s face and she missed seeing it. The old man was happy.

The young girl reached for her sunglasses saying “This sun is so bright I can hardly see.” Then, as she surveyed the street she said, “This is good. There are many shops.”

The old man could not remember a street such as this one. It only had gift shops, bars, restaurants and art galleries. The old man felt the phantom tug on his wallet again.

“My old friend, you have been a good and honorable wallet, but I fear your days are numbered.”

The old man did not remember when he began to talk aloud to himself, but it seemed to have been at the airport.