– It’s pulling hard!
– Yes, it’s a big one. Don’t jerk the line, just keep…. wow, yes, just keep hold and bring it in slowly…
The line in the boy’s hands bucking and tugging, this way, that way, desperate to escape the fingers. His expression more determined than seven years of puzzles, seven winters, seven pairs of shoes, seven circles around the sun. A case for karma, the man thought, watching.
– That’s good! Don’t let it get away!
Even from this distance you could see the fin, the rainbow tail that flipped angrily, or as determined, perhaps, as the boy. It was a good match, the weight of this life tied to the weight of that one by a stretched-taut string.
– I’m…
Hand over hand he hauled it in. He coiled the line around a plastic reel, four inches on a side, eight on a turn, one turn after another. The closer it came, the narrower its avenue of escape; it was a door closing, and the dashes to left and right, up and down, grew smaller as distance was tamed.
– Can you catch it for me?
So close now. The colors flashed where the sun touched its sides, its sequin eyes mirrors for the light, now, now.
– Just a few more feet!
The last of the line was wound onto the spool, and the fish skimmed into the father’s hands, wind flicking the feathered tail and the crepe fins. The mouth was open and swallowed the sky, swallowed the sky.
The boy jumped. – Hurray!
– Hurray! echoed his father, holding the paper catch in his arms. – It was a pretty windy day to bring him out here, wasn’t it?
– I thought he was going to get away! But I was stronger… The boy smiled and glanced over, to see if there was agreement with that assessment.
– I thought we’d need a smaller kite, or a bigger you. But no, you were stronger, all right. He took the spool of string, then tucked it in his pocket to free his hand. Wrapping his arm around the boy, one caught the other, the other caught the one, they walked home together easy in the afternoon.
“Koi Painting” by Michael Luu (USA) @ DeviantArt.com
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2015