camping with hemingway

im with ernie hemingway
in the lonely boat
too bad im not a drunk
ive got the paddle
and ernies got a drink
we are on the delaware
and ernie tells me he hates the east coast
i shrug my shoulders
and ask, should we go tubing instead
he shrugs back and shakes his head no like a turtle in a woolen sweater
youre no fun ernie
and i rock the boat

later we were catching shad
and ernie was smoking
i said
hey do you really hate women
and he shrugged and did his turtle gesture
he said
natalie
humanity
is complicated and ugly and beautiful
men & women and everything else
at that moment he caught a fish and we put it into our bucket of 2 others
now 3
we were done fishing

ernie had another drink after insisting on putting up the tent
at the campfire after our meal of fish and potatoes
he looked stern
and less like a turtle in the camp fire light
he told me a story about spain
and then said
but everything is shit: anyway
it was my turn to do a turtle impression
and i said
you're no fun ernie