oyster man

he lived in a shanty tucked away under the boardwalk on the pier. his skin was the color of browned butter and his hair was dull with dry salt from the sea. he said he ate only from the ocean and did i want to see? i put on my goggles and dove in after him holding my breath as i watched him pry oysters from the creosote impregnated piers. as he chipped away, clouds of marine detritus released into the sea. one by one he placed them into the net bag tied around his waist. we broke the surface for air and then dove to the bottom for urchins. i followed him out of the water and pulled myself onto the boardwalk. he handed his bounty to a man in a kiosk and said when we came back it would all be cooked and delicious. i told him i did not want to eat anything but thanked him for the adventure.