Old Man's Tale

My mother told me to never pick up hitchhikers
but the old man seemed harmless and desperate
besides, can you really call it hitchhiking if it's in a boat?

I fiddled with the radio
no reception in this gulf
can I try? he asked meekly
knock yourself out old man
he found a muffled am station
a sad acoustic guitar spilled out the speakers
he smiled, this is a song from my youth
I pondered how many decades old the song was
what does it remind you of? I asked

I was was warrior once, he said
I remember long travels
being in love
fighting men
the pretty girl with blue eyes
long flat roads of my home land
his hands shook as he adjusted the tuner
the sun crept west


where are you headed?
you can drop me off at Quinault Bay

got any kids?
2, how about you?
same, but they left me a long time ago
somwhere up north with their mother

what's takin' you to Quinalt?
my old partner lives there


we rode in silence
the horizon put me in a trance
blue white blue yellow

I help him off the boat
he feels lighter than he looks
he smiles and shakes my hand

I knew your father
he was a good man
I don't ask how
I don't ask why
thanks
tell him Joseph Griff said hi
I will

As I'm idling back to sea I glance back at the land
the old man's gone
the beach is empty