had played
the hand
game with
the great
negro from
Cienfuegos
who was
the
strongest
man on the
docks.
They had
gone one
day and
one night
with their
elbows on
a chalk
line on
the table
and their
forearms
straight
up and
their
hands
gripped
tight.
Each one
was trying
to force
the
other’s
hand down
onto the
table.
There was
much
betting
and people
went in
and out of
the room
under the
kerosene
lights and
he had
looked at
the arm
and hand
