Can you imagine what it must have been like back then? Back before there were people, trees, flowers, water, anything. Just one big hot rock coming to life. It all seems so unreal because of the length of time it takes for evolution to catch up to itself. Trial and error, over and over, until something works. Life if funny like that; shows up when you least expect it, and when you most need it to. Did I ever tell you the story of Bart Little? He was a guy I met on the docks. He was the biggest liar I ever met, but then like he was fond of not saying, “What does the truth hurt but itself.” Had to think on that for a while, but it came to me. He was like one of those crystal ball kinds of people. Claim they can tell what kind of person you are by the color of your halo.

Like I said, I met Little down by the docks. I don’t know if Bart Little was his name, but I had to call him something, and he looked like a Bart to me, and he was little. I seen him sitting there looking like he was cold, and it does get down right cold here when the fog comes in, and he looked to be drippin like he’d just crawled out of the bay. I’m not one to intrude, but sometimes a voice kind of tells you, you should meet this person. Like they got a message you should hear. 

Well, I had some coffee, or something someone had left, and brought it over to him. Kind of thing that often breaks the spell if you know what I mean. He just looks at me, and then at the cup, and says, “thanks,” or what sounded like it might have been thanks. Thankin me before even knowin what I was givin him. He was a trustin kind of guy, I could tell. Made me feel comfortable right off. So I ask if I can sit by him for a bit, and he says with a nod to make myself to home, like he lives there. 

I watch him, trying to pick up some signs, like when people come from outer space or slip from the sea and try and blend in like they were the most natural and weren't really there. He was that kind of guy. He’d just stare out into the water and then all of a sudden like he was having a bad dream, would jump a couple of inches in the air. His arms would shoot out like he was trying to catch himself, but all he did was spill the cup, so I give him mine. He just smiled. I didn’t know yet if he could rightly talk or not. Maybe he was just shy. You know how some folks is when they don’t know you, and think from experience, you being friendly, they might be in for trouble. I tried to reassure him by smiling, but it just seemed to make him more confused, agitated like.  As if he’d never seen anyone smile before. Maybe where he came from smiling is bad thing, like I heard there is places where if you tip your hat to someone you is wishing them bad luck, or like telling them to go to hell.  People do dream up the best stuff to mess with other people.

I didn’t rightly know what to do, so I just sat starring at the water with him, waitin on him to make the next move. Then he just jumps to his feet and begins to walk away towards the end of the pier. I yell for him to wait up, but he don’t. He just keeps shuffling towards the end of the dock. Everyone’s gone home by then, so there ain’t nothing down there but empty boats and fishing net. Ain’t like he can hurt anything. 

I catch up to him and he looks surprised like he thought maybe I was a statue or something. Been accused of that before, but not since I started takin them vitamins that keeps your mind from what they called, atrophyin. I assumed it meant loosing marbles, but I don’t know much about this new medicine stuff.

So we are just standing there lookin at each other, waiting I guess to see what the next move is goin to be, when he begins to sing. Nicest voice, but the words, couldn’t understand a one. Sounded more like the tapes they got in the boat museum they play; supposed to put you in the sea faring mood, whales and dolphins singing and whistling. Real pretty when you don’t care about the words.

I asked if he had a place to stay. Gets right cold at night and they got these charity Christian places where you can stay for free if you promise to be good and say your prayers if they ask. I explained it to him, but he didn’t seem to take any notice. Then, just when I thought I was getting through to him, he wanders over by the edge of the pier and just stands there. I thought for sure he was goin to jump. Seen it a few times when they come off the bridge and we was passing under it in the trawler. Something about the eyes afterward. It's like they are either asking you for help, or wantin you to look away.

One guy almost landed right on me. You know there ain’t a lot you can do for someone after a fall like that. It does make you think though, like they know something, or don’t know something you know, or you don’t know. Makes you wonder.

Well, then when I was day dreamin about the bridge and all, he somehow managed to get out of his clothes, and now he’s laying naked on his back lookin at the new stars. I can barely see them, but he seems to be enjoying the heck out of them. He’d stopped that unusual singing, but then started it up again. Like he was singing a lullaby to the stars. 

Well he wasn’t hurtin no one, or anything, and I was getting cold and hungry, so I decided I’d just leave him to it. He seemed happy enough. Happier than me being cold and hungry. Hell, happier than most folks I meet. Happiness can’t be worth much anymore. 

I always kind of wondered what would cause a being to come here from somewhere, out in space, maybe from another rock, or from the ocean. Why? Don’t make a lot of sense. If you are smart enough to get here no matter where you’re from, you is certainly smart enough to know there are better places to be than sittin on some slimy boards in the cold fog singing whale songs to an old schizophrenzic like me. Don’t you think?

I mean even if God does work in mysterious ways, don’t you think he could have at least in his mercy have sent this poor creature to Montego Bay, or somewhere where the whales and dolphins at least talk back. I got to get goin. They got beans on sale down at the Free Store. I think Bart will be OK. Probably with a voice like that he’ll find a job; singin like an angel an all. I know If’n I could sound like that I’d be thinkin more about heavenly stars and stuff like that.