Doing Your What Ifs

I was carrying a load of groceries past a new trawler on the dock, a pretty 40-footer that looked ready for offshore. As I passed by, I could see the owner leaning against the pilothouse windows.

“That looks comfortable,” I said.

“Doing my what ifs,” he responded.

“That’s great,” I said with the bonhomie of people who are just making small talk. I might as well have said, “Nice weather.”

A bit later, I happened past again, and he was in nearly the same position, this time with a legal pad and pen. “Still at it,