Swimming Uphill

Pogi Fish’s bigger brother, Pasaway, always had a way of getting into trouble. It was probably because he actively sought the rough road – or dangerous wave – in which to swim.
It was probably also because he’d spend his days at Lower Wreck, too. Unlike Pogi and Ganda Fish, though, Pasaway was much larger. He was nearly able to hold his own with the Cats, Mackerel, and the Eels. In fact, he was friends with most of Louie’s gang.
However, Louie’s gang was only a small part of the danger lurking near Lower Wreck. Chief among them were the Barracuda. While some Catfish and Mackerel were twice the size of the Acara, barracudas were an entirely different problem.
A pack of mighty Barracuda might circle around a family of tuna for a mid-afternoon buffet. Barracuda often grew six or seven feet long. If Mack the Knife found himself alone with a pack of Barracuda, even he would be unsafe.
There were three Barracuda that were well-known in the depths of Lower Wreck. Louie and his gang never dared to borther the Barracudas. Even they knew better.
Pasaway, on the other hand, always saw himself as something that he was not – a big fish in a little pond instead of a medium fish in a giant sea. After he was let ouf of the Acara school, he’d cover himself in slime to hide his shiny blue scales. When he was camoflauged, he’d venture down to Lower Wreck and find of of Louie’s gang. Usually, it was Tony the Tooth, but today, it was Lenny the Eel.
“How’s things up-current?”.
“Things up there are for the small frys,” replied Pasaway.
“You sure think you’re something, don’t ‘cha?”
“I’m no small fry, that’s for sure.”
“See them fish over there?” said Lenny.
“The ones fighting over the tuna?” replied Pasaway.
“I dare you to steal a piece.”
“Are you crazy?” exclaimed Pasaway.
“You keep tellin’ me you’re so tough.”
“But those are the Barracudas.”
“Then you must not be tough,” said Lenny.
“I’ll show you.”
Lenny, of course, was not brave enough to take food from a Barracuda. He was only brave enough to dare Pasaway to take it. Unfortunately, Pasaway didn’t know the different between brave and dumb. In a fight between an Acara and a Barracuda, all fish bet on the Barracuda. Pasaway. With three Barracuda, Pasaway didn’t stand a chance.
Still, that did not stop Pasaway. He had something to prove.
Pasaway tried sneaking up on the Barracuda, but they were much too smart for that. As Pasaway swam up behind them, one of the Barracudas turned his head to keep one eye on the Tuna and one eye on the Acara.
“You lost or somethin’?” said the Barracuda.
“What? Me? No, just passing through…”
Unlike Catfish and Eels, Barracudas weren’t much for small-talk. Before Pasaway could say one more word, one of the Barracuda chased after the much smaller Blue Acara.
“Help! Help! Help!” shouted Pasaway as he sped towards Upper Wreck. Luckily, Mack the Knife was fishing at the top of the ridge. As soon as the Barracuda spotted him, they stopped. Meanwhile, Pasaway kept swimming full speed towards his home.
“Hey Pasaway,” said Pogi, who was playing outside with Pikon.
Pasaway ignored his two littler brothers. He didn’t stop flapping his tail until he was safe inside the Acara Cave. When he entered the Cave, a cloud of silt filled the living room.
“What’s wrong with you?” said Mama Fish.
“Nothing. Nothing at all,” gasped Pasaway.
“Yes there is,” interrupted Pogi, “He’s been down at Lower Wreck with the Cats and the Eels.”
“Pasaway!” gasped Mama Fish.
“Boy, how many times do I have to tell you that them Cats and Eels are bad news?”
“It wasn’t them. It was the Barracuda,” corrected Pikon.
“Not the Barracuda! I don’t want you going down there ever again!”
“I’m a grown fish!” said Pasaway.
“You’ll be a tasty fish if you keep playing in Lower Wreck,” warned father.
“No I won’t. You’ll see,” bragged Pasaway.
The next day, the ritual was much the same. After the Acara school let out, Pasaway swam back towards Lower Wreck. As he passed by Upper Wreck, though, a large fish grabbed him, sinking his teeth right into the Acara’s soft tail fin.
“Ouch!” cried out Pasaway.
The Fish shook Pasaway a bit. It scared Pasaway something terrible. After a moment, the biting fish let go. Pasaway couldn’t swim home, because the large fish had him trapped. Only it wasn’t a large fish, it was a large shark. Pasaway’s eyes grew white with fear.
“Do you have any clue at all?” said Mack.
“Wha…wha…what do you mean?”
“Did you even see me yesterday?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“I didn’t think so. You were in quite some hurry.”
“No I wasn’t,” argued Pasaway.
“I am a Shark. We sharks are very slow compared to Barracuda. If the Barracuda hadn’t run into me yesterday, you would’ve been part of a Tuna-Acara seafood platter.”
Pasaway hung his head low. His fins drooped and his gills expanded as he let out a sigh.
“I guess so,” he said.
“You guess so? You should know so,” said Mack, “for being Old Man Acara’s boy, you are as dumb as a Catfish. No wonder you hang out with them.”
“Hey! I’m not as dumb as a Catfish.”
“Then quit acting like it,” said the Hammerhead.
“Alright,” said Pasaway with a sigh.
“Those Catfish are nothing but trouble. If you don’t start changing your ways, you’re going to find yourself in a situation you cannot escape, and I’m sure you don’t want that.”
Pasaway stared blankly at the Shark.
“Well, do ya?”
“No, sir.”
“Now get home before I change my mind or get hungry.”
“Yes, sir.”Pasaway returned to the safety of the Acara Cave. For now, he was out of trouble. Knowing Pasaway Fish, though, that would surely not last long, because as long as there was trouble to be found, Pasaway Fish would always be looking for it.

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MORAL: You can outdistance that which is running after you, but not what is running inside you. – Rwandan Proverb