Out Fishing

Little Minor was on the boat in the middle of the ocean, excited at the prospect of seeing new life away from land. He was 9 at the time, an age when it was okay to dream of being a marine biologist.

The sky was blue like cotton candy and the Sun kindly offered the warmth of a winter blanket and a light as auspicious as Minor's smile. His smile vibrantly reflected off of the water; a set of pearly white teeth complemented with a pair of empty spaces at the top center of his mouth. This smile remained on his face underwater after he jumped out of the boat.

He was eager to be taught by the school of fish he observed many feet below the surface. The fish looked more willing to accept a new pupil than any air-breather Minor had encountered before. The swarm gathered around the child and swam in orbit around him. The single orbit expanded into a sphere of enthusiastic fish, just as eager to learn from Minor as he was to learn from them.

This voluptuous manifestation added to Minor's wide wonder of the world.

He was the center of sea.

Unfortunately, after the first few initial moments of interaction, reality sank in slowly in relation to the boy in the water. He was drowning. Don't fret for the fish immediately went into action. Scores of fish gathered to create a platform below the child and even more went below to push the boy up toward the surface. The boy's father was quick to take the boy from the bed of fish that kept him from sinking once more.

The school was gone when the boy started breathing again.

"Minor," said the father, "how do you feel?"

"Inspired," said little Minor.