After the storm passed, all was not same in and around the Acara cave. Pogi Fish shared the news of the old boat wreck ripping in half. The two halves now had two names. Upper Wreck was Mack’s home. Lower Wreck was Louie the Cat’s hideout.
Pogi Fish visited Upper Wreck. It was still the place where the Acaras, Gourami, and Cichlid played. Most often, the scavenger fish, like catfish and plecostimous, lingered in the depths of Lower Wreck.
Near Upper Wreck, it was business as usual for the Acara and the Gourami. They worked as crab wranglers, herding the tiny six-legged meals into a corner.
“Look over there next to the big patch of red coral,” pointed Ganda.
“What is it?”
“A stone crab sitting all alone.”
“Yum-o! I’ll take the left side and you take the right,” said Pogi.
“Sounds like a plan.”
So Pogi went left and Ganda went right and the crab stayed right in the middle. As Pogi neared the crab, he held up his pincers, ready for a brawl.
“Hey!” said Pogi, “you’re not fighting fair!” Pogi took a deep breath and blew into the sand. When he stirred up a cloud of dust, Ganda swooped in for the attack. Even in the dust, the crab had his defenses ready. He pinched Ganda Fish on the lips.
“Ouch!” she cried out.
Just then, another fish swooped down in the darkness and grabbed the tiny stone crab. When the dust settled, there was Louie the Cat, snacking on his very own crab leg buffet.
“Thanks, pal-y” said Louie.
“That’s not yours!” said Pogi.
“Finders keepers, they always say.”
“You better remember that the next time we come fishing in Lower Wreck,” replied Ganda.
“Alright, since you’re being so sweet, I guess I can give you a little of my lunch.”
Louie the Cat left behind the bits that he didn’t like, mostly including the shell. Pogi and Ganda picked through the remains. It was still enough to fill their appetites.
“I have to go home for a bit,” said Ganda, “Will you be here later?” she asked her friend.
“I think I’m going home, too,” said Pogi.
Pogi and Ganda parted ways and Louie the Cat tagged along behind Ganda. Meanwhile, Pogi crossed through the wreckage that was once the captain’s cabin in the old boat wreck. He noticed Mack trying to make himself at home in the smaller area of the food locker.
When he arrived home, he spread the news to mother and father.
“I don’t think Mack’s happy in his new home,” said Pogi.
“I heard he created his mess, so he’ll have to live in it,” scoffed Mama Fish.
“Mama, that’s not very nice,” said Papa, “Even thought he’s got some rough edges, Mack the Knife has always been a good friend to me.”
“Some rough edges? He’s the meanest creature in the sea.”
“Well, he is a shark,” said Pog Fish.
After dinner, Papa Fish made it a point to stop by the Hammerhead’s roost in Upper Wreck. The old boat looked nothing like it had before it collapsed. Papa Fish made his way to the boat’s galley and found Mack the Knife, swimming in the food locker.
“Who’s there?” growled the Hammerhead.
“Hey Mack. It’s me.”
“Me, who?”
Papa Fish popped his head into the food locker. Mack nodded his head.
“Old Man Acara, How are you doing, good buddy?”
“I’m doing fine. I think I should ask the same of you.”
“Things could be better,” said Mack. As he looked around, there was still a massive collection of barnacles clinging to his walls and his room was about half the size of his previous home.
“You need any help?”
“I can’t think of anything. I’m just trying to make myself at home.” Mack moved stones around the entrance to the food locker. Papa Fish joined him.
They stacked rocks around the food locker door, in hopes of creating a hide-out for Mack. It also provided cover, so any bait swimming by the food locker wouldn’t see the big Hammerhead Shark about to attack them.
Because the Acara was much smaller than the Hammerhead, he didn’t have to worry about being eaten. To Mack, Old Man Acara wouldn’t even equal a French Fry. He was too much of a small fry to be any Fry at all.
On the other hand, Barracuda, Jacks, and Mackerel steered clear of the old boat wreck. They knew that Mack considered them as bite-size treats.
“I think that’s about it,” said Mack as he shoved the last rock into place.”
“I guess I should be going,” said Papa Fish.
“I have some squid in the food locker, if you want to stay and have a bite.”
“I’d just be in the way.”
“No you wouldn’t In fact, I’d enjoy the company,” offered Mack.
So, the Hammerhead and Acara ate fresh calamari (squid) for lunch. After that, Papa Fish headed home.
Amidst the steadily swaying seaweed, Ganda Gourami and her family had just about enough of Louie the Cat. Like every other catfish, Louie was a scavenger. He seldom hunted his own food. Instead, he ate the remains other fish left behind, including the Gouramis.
Ganda Fish’s mother, Maya Gourami, had just about enough of the Catfish’s antics.
“I’m sorry to say this, Louie, but don’t’ you think it’s getting rather late?”
“Us Catfish are up all hours of the night. There’s no such thing as too late.”
Maya Gourami heaved a long sigh.
“Well, us Gourami need our rest.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing.”
“I think we’ll be okay,” replied Mother Gourami. Unfortunately, seaweed didn’t have doors or locks, so the only thing she could do was hide in the seaweed and hope Louie the Cat would go away.
He lurked for a little while longer as the Gourami weaved themselves intot the thick green seaweed. Finally, he left. It wasn’t the hint to leave that caught him, but a school of clown fish playing above him. Louie thought they’d be more fun than the boring old Gouramis.
Mother Gourami was just glad to relax.And as Louie the Cat harassed the poor school of Clowns, the Gouramis got their rest. Once again, everything was back to normal in the deep blue sea.
+++++++++++++
MORAL: One should go invited to a friend in good fortune, and uninvited in misfortune. – Swedish Proverb
No comments:
Post a Comment