Recently, I was reading Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. It was published in 1952, the last novel he wrote and saw published in his life time for which, by the way, he received the Pulitzer Prize for Literature. This little novel brought Hemingway to the height of his fame, then at age 60 he, like his father, committed suicide; but my theme is less serious. I want to examine bone spurs and greatness.
The Old Man and the Sea, among other themes relates the tale of Santiago, the old man, who had not caught a fish for 84 days, almost tied with his personal best of going, previously, 87 days without catching a single fish. Within his community of fisherman he was ridiculed for his achievement, or lack of, along with his age, he was an easy target.
The novel covers a span of only five days and during three of those days Santiago does battle with a 16 foot Marlin out in the Gulf Stream. He is desperately tries to break his unlucky streak and prove himself to himself, those asshole fisherman back on shore and to Manolin, the young boy who looks up to him as mentor and father figure. He needs motivation.
The setting is Cuba in the late forties when the Yankees and Joe DeMaggio reigned supreme in American baseball. Santiago tho old arthritic fisherman idolized DiMaggio who earned more in a day than any fisherman did in a life time of toils.
DeMaggio, was semi handicapped from a painful bone spur, yet because of his strength of character did not let it interfere with his game. Santiago reflected on this while landing the giant Marlin, even though in great pain he fought on, man against nature, inspired by his baseball hero.
"Do you believe the great DiMaggio would stay with a fish as long as I will stay with this one? he thought. I am sure he would and more since he is young and strong. Also his father was a fisherman. But would the bone spur hurt him too much?"
Hemmingway
Having been reminded about this reference in Old Man and the Sea I couldn’t help but see the glaring parallels between two great iconic Americans: Joe DiMaggio and Donald Trump. Both in their own way rose to pinnacles of success despite great physical disadvantages: bone spurs.
One in the arena of sports played bravely, despite his disability, to entertain a nation, while the other in a far different arena, gave up what could have been a McCain-like military career, but for a bone spur, entered another avenue to entertain a nation as president of the United States of America.
" I moved on her like a bitch... and when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything." Donald Trump Republican President of the United States
What makes America great again, looks like something as insignificant as a bone spur.
God bless America!
Santiago caught the fish. Joe DiMaggio married Marilyn Monroe and became a spokes person for Mr Coffee, while Donald Trump, "I have done more in 18 months than any other president..." (laughter)
Marty Rempel
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