My wife was standing on the shore of the Mississippi when the paddlewheel boat thrashed ’round the bend. She saw throngs of men in dark suits on the deck, standing at the railing, impassive. They all wore dark hats. At this point I had to interrupt and say, “I’m sorry, but this is a Twilight Zone episode. You saw the ship of the dead, lost in time.” She said she wondered if the dark suits meant they were all Hasidic Jews on an outing, but no, it was the Sabbath. Any other day, sure, you’re bound to see a paddleboat full of guys from the shul cruising down the Mighty Miss, but today?
Then she saw a woman in a long broad dress, waving. Something out of the 19th century. The men’s suits now looked lighter in the sun; a particular blue. But they were all the same color. The boat chugged past and headed south.
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