in Coney Island <br />I spotted Harry Tood and his crew <br />at my favorite table <br />near the toilet. <br />“Who invented the kite? ” he asked. <br />“Alberto Savinio, ” said Vedder, <br />“during the summer of 1946 in Milan, Italy.” <br />“How many different <br />kinds of goldfish swim the tropic waters? ” asked Harry Tood. <br />“Exactly 428, ” said Vedder. <br />“Only 100.” <br />“I’ll check, ” said Vedder <br />closing his eyes. “No. <br />the man who created Heaven and Earth <br />said there’s 428, no more, no less <br />that’s the number He created <br />but He further informed me <br />as of yet <br />human beings <br />have only discovered 100.” <br />“In the end, ” said Hugo Rupprecht, <br />“a man discovers <br />whatever he does <br />it is certain he must die <br />at a time hidden from him <br />fixed in advance <br />by a power which surpasses him.” <br />“What’s that mean? ” asked Vedder. <br />“Sir Francis Drake <br />ate peanuts with his left hand, ” said Hugo Rupprecht. <br />“I doubt that, ” said Harry Tood. “I know for a fact <br />the man was right handed <br />and preferred pistachio nuts. <br />So be it, so be it, <br />how many steps <br />does the average person <br />walk each day? ” <br />“None, ” said Hugo Rupprecht. <br />“19,000. Try this. <br />How much do nine pennies weight? ” <br />“Four pounds seven ounces, ” said Vedder. <br />“How many seconds in a century? ” continued Harry Tood undeterred. <br />Vedder looked up toward Heaven <br />nodded his head <br />several times <br />then said, “3,153,600,000.” <br />“Amazing, ” declared Hugo Rupprecht. <br />“Why? ” said Vedder, <br />“God don’t make mistakes.”<br /><br />Charles Chaim Wax<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/when-i-arrived-at-meng-s-restaurant/
