That was down on St Lucia. I think. We were on a tour and stopped in some little fishing village. we were touring by what they consider a bus.
We stopped right down by the little pier. A bunch of the natives were vending their wares. They didn't have much but I bought a couple bottles of water for Mary and I. The people there are very poor but they work. There is no welfare and they find a way to make a living.
I am standing there with Mary, just looking over the village, you could see the whole thing almost. Up comes an old man. He was a scrawny little guy and only had one let. He was using a beat up old crutch.
This guy had a paper bag and opened it up for me to see. There was a dang flying fish that was as dry and shriveled up as the old man. He asked me if I wanted to buy it for 5 bucks. I think he had just found it along the shore. ##### thing looked like it had died of old age a week before <img src="/metal/html/shocked.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":shock"> <img src="/metal/html/shocked.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":shock">
I told him that I didn't really need a flying fish and besides I was touring by bus and they didn't have a cooler, to keep it fresh. Fresh my arse. The last time that thing was fresh I was on the Cruise ship.
He kept bugging me but I just ignored the old fart. He was about my age, come to think of it! <img src="/metal/html/shocked.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":shock"> Anyway I just walked away with Mary giving me a goofy look. She caught up with me and said, "Why didn't you buy if from the poor old man?" I asked her what the hell I wanted a dam old flying fish for. The gal was daft.
She said it would have been nice to buy it and throw it away just to help the old fart. For some reason I never thought about that. We were on the bus by then and I looked back and could not see the guy.
I could have easily done that and the guy would have had a dang meal that night. He sure the hell was not gonna eat that dam flying fish, I will tell you that!
It has bothered me ever since. I don't think about it much unless some turd reminds me of it. Dang <img src="/metal/html/sad.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":sad">