The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-08-25
HAL
BOYLE
SAYS
BY HAL BOYLE


man and quartet of teenagers
playing catch with a tennis ball.
The four youngsters-three lear
boys and golden-haired girl
were like a Grecian frieze come
to life, but their laughter somehow
disturbed the fat man.
'Noisy kids" he muttered
Probably can't wait until the sun
goes down so they can start
smoking marijuana. When was
that age, worked all summer.
But today-all kids are useless. !"
A shower of sand sprayed over
his refining form as the girl leaped
to catch a mushroom ball.
Sorry, Popsie," she said.
Go away!" shouted the fat man,
angrily. "And don't call me Pop
sie."
"Okay, Popsie," she laughed,
and leaped away. He watched the
four play a moment longer, and
knew in his heart why he felt
grumpy toward them. It was
because they were 1.-the and young.
Making vague sounds like . dis
contented walrus, he picked up his
fat bald head and his sad fat
stomach and waddled heavily to
the oceans edge. The waves were
high, and he hesitated. But then
he found a pause between the
breakers, waded in and started
swimming.
"ah, this is it." he sighed. The
water hid his Shape. He felt
strong and young again. He turned
on his back and floated for
a long time =. dreaming with
open eyes as he looked up at the
windy sky.
A wave suddenly broke over him.
suffering, the fat man swung
around. The sea was choppy, and
the shore looked a long way off.
He began to swim toward it, but
it came no nearer.
He swan harder. No progress.
The fat man realized he was
caught in an outward current.
Fear washed through him and he
began to fail the water wildly
with leaden arms.
A face swan into view. It was
one of the boys he had seen on
the beach. They looked into each
others eyes and saw they were
both in the same plight. The boy
approached him warily, afraid the
fat man would grab him and drag
them both down.
"Think can make il to
Shore" he painted. Keep trying
I'll get help"
AS the boy swan away the fat
man felt his own life going, too.
He wondered about what the local
paper would print about his death
/. He wondered about his wife
. And then all wonder left him.
He was a blind blob of flesh
slogging in blind sea. He no
longer could feel the reflect move
ments of his arms and legs. He
had lost the direction Of the shore.
Then through the gathering fog
of numbness the face Of the boy
swan again into view. The fat
man thought he was dreaming.
But behind the face came three
more faces-the girl and the other
two boys.
Here, climb on this" the boy
said, pushing forward a rubber
play raft. Like cells the four teen
ayers surrounded the fat man,
lifted him on the raft. He Rugged
it as if it were his mother.
They began to push the raft
through the waves, expertly guild
ing it slantwise toward the shore.
As each wave broke over him the
fat man swallowed part Of it.
They neared the beach. A great
towering wave rose behind them.
Now" shouted one boy. "Give
it everythingl"
The fat man kicked feebly. The
green, foam-crested wave picked
raft--and tumbled them in q heap
into shallow water. The fat man
felt his forehead grating against
the sandy bottom.
The hungry sea clutched to pull
him back, and he had no strength
to fight ii. Then hands grabbed
him and dragged him up on the
hot dry sand.
He opened his eyes and saw :
sky that framed four tanned
anxious young faces. The girl raj
and got some paper napkins ant
began to wipe his bleeding fore
head.
The fat man looked up at them
each in turn.
You kids you wonderful
/. wonderful kids" he said
brokenly. and tears began to rur
down his cheeks.
why Popsie." said the girl
wiping his eyes. You'll get YOU
face all wet"