Rachelle Burk Kopel Burk The silence that followed gave me the feeling he wasn’t just trying to be funny Maybe he was serious about my being his helper He was waiting for an answer I don’t know Grandpa I’m afraid if I start baiting your hooks that would just open up a whole can of worms I peeked with one eye to gauge his reaction to my joke What I saw was a worm dangling over my face I shrieked and scrambled upright batting the squiggly thing away I came prepared in case you said yes he said and began to assemble his fishing pole You watch he assured me I’ll get you hooked on fishing yet Sure enough in no time at all I really was hooked and Grandpa rewarded me with my very own fishing gear A few months later my parents and I drove up the driveway of our summer cabin at Glacial Lake The shady log-and-stone structure was familiar and inviting It was built in a clearing about two hundred yards from the lake’s edge Gravel crunched beneath the tires as Dad pulled up to the house There was no garage but tall trees along the driveway kept the car from turning into a sauna on hot days We unloaded suitcases and boxes from the trunk and hauled them up the steps The white paint on the front porch had started to peel but inside the rustic cabin nothing had changed An oversized pine table with mismatched chairs stood in a corner of the cozy living room Sheets covered the overstuffed couch and recliner I inhaled deeply The cabin smelled of mothballs dust and burnt firewood I love the scent yet the first thing my mother always did 2
The Walking Fish was to open all the windows to air out the place and shake out the dusty woven rugs scattered about the wide-planked wood floor I went back out to the car to retrieve my fishing pole and tackle box which I had stashed on the floor of the back seat What did you bring that for Dad asked when I deposited the gear near the kitchen door Mom was busy stocking the refrig erator and cabinets full of gourmet cooking supplies You don’t think I’d spend a whole summer at the lake without my fishing stuff do you I said Dad shook his head Don’t you remember There are no fish in Glacial Lake If there were we could certainly convince your grandfather to come with us now and then My heart sank I had planned to supply my family with fresh trout for the grill and to help Mom invent new fish recipes I’m sure I remember Dr H saying that the lake was stocked I said That’s Dr Holland He teaches environmental sci ence courses at Glacial Lake University He and his wife are lake friends of my parents Dad is a junior high school science teacher so he and Dr H hit it off from the first time they met It was my mother who answered No what he said was that the Department of Fish and Wildlife tried to stock it A num ber of times in fact Every attempt failed Something about the minerals in the water right Fred She looked at my father for confirmation He nodded Maybe some survived I said hopefully Dad shook his head Sorry kiddo Not a chance This lake is great for swimming canoeing and sunbathing Just don’t plan on catching our dinner unless the guy at the supermarket tosses you a frozen fillet I slumped into a kitchen chair Well you never know I heard they found an alligator in a New York sewer so maybe I’ll 3
Rachelle Burk Kopel Burk find fish in Glacial Lake I yanked the elastic band from my pony tail The tangled dark mess that is my hair fell over my face Hid ing behind a curtain of locks allowed me to sulk in semiprivacy Uh oh said my mother Someone is moping I’m not moping I said Hair in the face dimples have vanished Those are sure signs Well can you blame me I won’t be able to fish for months It’ll be the most boring summer in the history of me If Grandpa comes to visit us at the cabin I want to go back home with him Okay maybe I was moping Maybe I needed to look at the bright side After all it would still be a fun summer as long as I had Darshan to hang out with We’d go for swims and hikes and bike rides all the things our families used to do together before his father’s accident I looked across the yard to the Mishras house next door Darshan isn’t home I said There’s no car in the driveway The Mishras are one of the few families who live year round on the lake where most of the homes are summer residences or rentals The rest of the population lives in nearby Glacial Vil lage where the university is located Like many of the residents Darshan’s family is connected to the local university Mrs Mishra teaches Asian literature Mr Mishra works in the Information Tech nology department making sure all the computer systems through out the school work properly He’s a good person to know since my parents are practically computer illiterate Plus the Mishras let us log in to their Wi-Fi since we don’t have it at the cabin Dad settled into the chair opposite mine It’s Saturday They’re probably out doing stuff If you have nothing to do till he gets back this is the perfect opportunity to get a head start on the 4
The Walking Fish next school year He pulled an eighth grade biology book from a box on the floor and slid it to me across the table Very funny Dad I tossed it back in the box as if it were a smelly sock I gazed out the kitchen window at the dazzling green moun tains and rocky cliffs rising above the glistening lake It reminded me of how I used to make mountains and lakes with my mashed potatoes and gravy I still would if my mother ever made plain old mashed taters and gravy any more Instead she whips up new red skins with fried garlic and chives or double baked stuffed potatoes au gratin Suddenly I felt hungry and realized we hadn’t stopped for lunch Can I have a snack Check the cooler on the counter said Mom I made something special What now I thought I found something shaped like a toilet paper roll beneath the ice packs and peeled off the aluminum foil Smoked salmon and goat cheese with dill and capers You know peanut butter and jelly would have been fine Mom I said biting into the wrap My mother writes a column for a popular cooking maga zine In fact she’s somewhat of a celebrity Her picture appears in every issue her shoulder length hair youthfully framing her face She looks a lot like me small round-faced a few freckles across her nose only her hair is a few shades lighter due to Clairol Hair Color Now she has a publishing contract for a gourmet cookbook that she hopes to finish by the end of the summer She expects it to make her as famous as Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray Dad and I plus a few willing friends are her official tasters 5
