The 'Leisure Life'

I was on vacation in Cancun - a favorite place - the morning sun was sizzling in a blue and cloudless sky. I stood along the shoreline in my Gucci swimming trunks, when this old guy - a native of the town - came drifting by. Now, it was more than obvious the man was rather poor. He had a homemade fishing pole, and only bread for bait. I watched him fairly closely as he stopped to try his luck. He threw his line out gracefully then settled back to wait. I moved a little closer to the slightly graying man, and, trying to be friendly, said, “Hello, my name is Jim. Man…this day’s a beauty. But it’s getting pretty warm.” (He looked a bit surprised that I would actually talk to him.) “Si, senor,” he softly said, “very warm indeed, but I am always glad to fish on any day I find.” I sensed a sadness in his voice and, sympathetically, I said, “I hope that things improve, but, hey…if you don’t mind… “Here’s a little free advice, my friend, on what to do. Don’t expect the world to pick you up and hold your hand. It takes a lot of time…and work…to earn the ‘leisure life’…and tons and tons of money, so I hope you understand… “Only getting rich will earn the life that money brings. Before too long I’ll live down here, and, oh…the things I’ll do. I’ll sleep late every morning. Take siestas when I like. I’ll walk the beach on sunny days…do lots of fishing too. “There’ll be no clock to punch, and all my days will be carefree. I’ll never want for - ‘special opportunities’…like you.” The old man simply stared at me, looking quite confused, then fin’ly broke the silence with…“But I already do! “I sleep late every morning. Take siestas when I like. I walk the beach on sunny days…and I am fishing now! I’ve never punched a clock…and when it comes to ‘leisure life’…it almost makes me laugh to hear a gringo tell me how!” PS: I've now got 4 new Audio-CDs - @ 4 1/2 hours each = (62 diversely varied pieces). They’re listed on EBAY - under - “Mark Stellinga Poetry” - or available by simply contacting me at -- mark@writerofbooks.com -- should those of you who enjoy listening to poems as well as reading them - and particularly those of you that travel - care to be so entertained. (We use safe and simple - PayPal) There are a bunch of my pieces on YouTube as well --- Cheers, Mark