Fishing and the Dad

Under the boat swam the bass, son—remember?

Yes I remember.

Good. 

Under the boat where you can’t reach. Remember?

Yes I remember.

Good. 

Yelling and screaming was somebody named something saying I can’t breathe in this world where there’s no air. Remember?

Yes I do. 

Good. 

The mystery moved on to say louder suppose I just need to keep where asking people and sooner or later one will come who will see. Remember?

Yes I do remember. 

Good. 

And  from the dark something said—that there is—again there it was a name—a man in the moon named—Lord God who knows. The name. The name. The name is—unknown. The name’s the name of the man in the moon. Remember?

Yes I do.

Who was the name? 

In where the party is there where the children run all a’zippo through the light—there’s a name there it’s.

No. Too late. Son? That—okay?

Thanks Dad. I—I want to try the Hula Popper. I want to try the Jitterbug.

What? Say it different.

I want to try the Hula Popper and the Jitterbug.

What? Say it different.

I want to try the Jitterbug and the Hula popper. But I need three and a half inch magnum buckshot at a minimum to make the cast out low up the bottomside of those same flattened manhole cover size waterlilies in the shadyspot that’s still down there you know where—

Hold. Do you remember who you are?

Uh. No.

Do you remember an order being given?

No.

There’s no need to go further. The night is long let go and let it happen now. We are in the way now. Move.

Off the spot I cannot mention Dad? The spot I got here by the use of Dad? 

That was never said before. And we. Do not. Know that strange. Word Dad.

What is Dad?

Dad’s too cold out in the terrible here.

Sorry, no. Contestant number two; what is Dad?

The one all wired this day directly to the panel all thatside with full power flowing.

Sorry, no. Contestant number three; what is Dad?

Holy micrometry batman aren’t we the very princes or what is Dad.

Sorry, no. Contestant number four; what is Dad?

Arturboone McSillion is Dad.

Sorry, no. Contestant number five; what is Dad?

Dad’s actually me in my valley of hooterin’ destiny.

Sorry, no. Contestant number six; what is Dad?

A hearse hankybrush mystery fifteenth in the series.

Sorry, no. Contestant number seven; what is Dad?

The secret identity of the Incredible Hinging Man.

Sorry, no. Contestant number eight; what is Dad?

The Thing That Grew People.

Sorry, no. Contestant number nine; what is Dad?

The opposite of God, is Dad.

Sorry, no.  And so—nice tries, contestants. No winners today folks.

So tune in next week, same time same station, when the jackpot is doubled to eleven and fifty-five tenths of a s’million heavily watered-down buckyballs. 

A million what Dad?

Sorry. It is mine alone to ask the questions son.

But Dad.

And it is yours alone to answer. 

Dawn.

Jim Meirose’s stories have been widely published, and his novels include Le Overgivers au Club de la Résurrection, Understanding Franklin Thompson, and Sunday Dinner with Father Dwyer, all on Amazon. More info at www.jimmeirose.com.