So Many Questions

"What do you think it

does to a boy when the

one woman in his life, who was

supposed to love him unconditionally,

with all of the forces of nature, and life"s

genetic code alive, and vibrant fighting in her and

uniting for the survival and prosperity of the human race…

Simply Does Not?"

 

I was running my 9 inch fillet knife

down the spine

of a catfish

When my brother

said that to me

 

"Hold the head still, the blood is making it slip."

I said, as I concentrated

on my knife work.

 

" It is still breathing! "

"How is it still alive?!"

" What is that black stuff?"

"Is it shitting itself?!!"

 

"Everything shits until it dies."

I said to him with a grin

as I put the last fillet into

a bath of

water, salt and ice.

 

after… 

I walked back down to

the waters edge

to wash the blood and slime

off of my blade

and hands.

my brother followed

with his string of

questions

 

"How could she just….just up and go….and now she comes back around with a new family and is asking us for….I just don’t understand it Nick!"

He was starting to lose it …

 

So I waved my hands back and forth in the cool, clear, water.

as the blood and slime trailed across the top

like a oil slick

while he stood there asking…

And I remained bent over

disturbing the water

along with our

reflections

 

When the blade was clean again

I stood up.

The oil slick had spread itself thin

and at the edges

I started to see the movement of life.

Fresh water Fish of all sizes and species started moving

into the sunlight by the dozens

and they jerked their bodies side to side

flashing rays of light off their armored bodies

in movements that looked like hunger.

 

Then there was a army of Cray Fish

marching along the bottom

with their claws raised to the sun

they met each other in the scent of blood

and seemed to dance

as they waited

for everything

to fall

 

Next we saw bubbles coming from where

the shore dropped off and out of sight.

It moved in slowly with a shadow that was purposeful.

We watched its giant back

and bull like legs

powerfully pull itself into the middle of the pool

Then calmly…

as the Cray fish danced…

and the bass carved the water

it raised its head up and out

into the warm air

and blinding sun light…

blinked twice,

looked around

and then swam away.

Taking the rest of the show

and my brothers questions

with him.

 

Once again

leaving us alone

to wonder…