The Swede

Just because "he doesn't speak English very well", does not mean I won't make an effort to speak to him.
The bar was empty except for a thin Santa Claus and a sharp waitress.
He is a thin quiet looking, chainsmoking, San Miguel tipping, older guy. He had been in the Philipines on Malapascua Island for 50 days. It is his third visit to the island and he loves it.
Sweden is cold,wet and crowded. "Why would I stay there?" I own my own company "People think I am crazy for working". He looks about 70. He comes from a family of 8 and they are very close. He likes dogs and German Shepards are popular in Sweden. He owns 4 tractor trailers and several smaller trucks and he delievers parcels throughout Stockholm. He likes to work "I gotta to do something, I can't just sit here", as he (points to the newly arrived San Miguel and reaches for more cigarettes).
His bushy thick white beard was not a distraction, the sharp waitress was available to tease. Boy was I on my game. The Swede, the waitress and the Cannuck were having some real laughs. More of the new beer "Conversation-Ez" was ordered.
Diving blew through the conversation and fishing came up. I was supposed to get up at 4:30 and the Swede was to get up at 6. He was going fishing "I got to do something, I can't can't just sit here and (motions a finger at the new bottle).
We chit and chat, I take 5 minutes to talk about the weather and everything I ever heard about Sweden. He then tells me about giving coins to the island children every morning, fishing and catching nothing, over paying happily for everything. Buying his boatman, large bags of rice, bicycles for children, Tipping plenty, taking some pictures and enjoying the warm weather.
Quietly wondering about how to get a little special company from Manilla to pass the time. Popping out to the store for a packet of cigarettes. What cigarettes cost here and what they cost in Krona?(the basic monetary unit of Sweden). The offering of the hand of a fisherman's daughter (I think he may have turned down the cookie)
Some tequilla shots later, more people arrived and that would be a different post.