Mark

He is 62 years old and has been on island for 39 years. He came for the first time from he USA in 1971with his father, the two of them were contracted to build a house, Mark’s first. After the completion the contractor was so happy with the work that he offered Mark a job and within two years he had bought out his superiors. He played his first game of golf with a friend when he 21 and was hooked. His best game was a 73 (apparently that’s pretty good) and his favorite player is Jonathan something-or-other. He lost his wife six years ago to the day when I met him. Four years after he suffered a stroke and his speech is pretty poor. He used to tell a lot of jokes but has trouble now remembering the punchline. His daughter lives in Colorado and is getting married in August. He lives alone and gets up every morning with the sun to walk along the beach. His favorite colour is yellow because it reminds him that the sun will always shine, even if it is hidden behind the clouds.

I met Mark on Saturday, June 19 2010. We started out talking at the bar and shortly after we were eating dinner, his first with someone else in much too long. He told me about his life and taught me about golf. He is a thin man, 5’8”, with a receding hairline and glasses. His skin is tanned and leathery, his hands callused from a lifetime of work. He is overly average looking with the exception of his eyes. Bright blue and sparkling they hold a kind of magic, wisdom, and a youthfulness I did not expect. He is a man of vast knowledge but has trouble conveying it because of his speech.

But sometimes, you just need to listen.