|
In the late afternoons of summer, thunderstorms drove across the mainland into the sea. They began as distant rumblings from tall white clouds with dark bases. The clouds covered the sky and soon spits of rain made tiny craters in the sand. Cool air pushed the dark lines of rain that chased fleeting figures indoors.
Flash, crack overhead then a pause when seconds could be counted and rumble, bum. The storms of summer passed quickly into the sea to cover the setting sun. In the distance showers spilled across the sea which seemed much different from the early mornings when Oppius and his father would first arrive.
In the mornings life was cool and fresh, and Oppius felt cool and fresh too. He had spread and folded nets and brought a small pole and stringer. He and his father worked quietly weighing the tides and weather all along. Before the sun was hot, they were up to their waists in the brisk water with the waves cat lapping the shore behind them. Pelicans flew in formation overhead like the pyramids his father once had told him about. They would peel off one by one tuck their wings in close to their body and dive toward the fish below. Schools of shiners broke the surface and darted between Oppius and his father.
"Look at them all." His father said.
Following behind the bait-fish wading toward Oppius was the barbarian. He was a large portly man with black hair and mustache. Behind him trailed a great stinger of fish. Marvelous fish . . .
When Oppius first met the barbarian, he was afraid of him because of his great size. But now he knew he was kind as he always offered them any fish of their liking from his stringer. It was a boast of pride and accomplishment for the large man. Oppius's father always said, "Catching our own is half the fun." declining, thinking the barbarian was fishing to help feed his family. "How could you give such fish away?" Oppius thought as he stroked their long muscular bodies. The flounder was flat and dull. Flopping lifelessly in his hand but the trout shook with rage trying to squirm free from his grip. He admired the trout and felt sorry for it at the same time. He rushed back toward the nets anticipating fish he might catch too. His father and the barbarian spoke awhile and showed encouragement every time the boy checked a net.
The barbarian strode up the shore leaving three "lucky" shiners for Oppius. The boy encouraged his father to use the pole and a "lucky" shiner just knowing that the man would catch a fish as big as a whale. The sun was beginning to get bright along the shore and all was quite. How many watches had the man stood like this except with a pensive heart? Now relaxed, his mind began to wander over many leagues, many years and battles. Combats, close calls and comrades whirled in his head. His grip tightened on his sword. He was not ready for Elysium yet.
"You got one!" Oppius cried out. The pole didn't move in his father's stone like hands.
"Oh, did he hit hard. He might break the pole." said his father with iron resolve.
Oppius drew up a net. He ran to the shore and dropped the net. He turned to see his father struggling with the pole. He watched his father struggling through the surf, stumbling here and there and breathing hard. He couldn't believe his father was struggling. Oppius had never seen him do it before and thought "It must be some fish and a big one to give him that much trouble.".
"What is it?" Oppius said moving closer but not too close.
"I don't know but whatever it is he's big." He said, puffing as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "I don't know if I can bring him in.".
Oppius disregarded this second statement because all fishermen said this for their stories later. He imagined his father telling his mother. "Appia I didn't really know if I was going to get him in. Isn't that right Oppius?". Oppius knew he would agree eagerly and then get to tell the story the way it really happened.
His father moved just onto the beach and slung the fish up gasping and flopping. It was the biggest he had seen his father catch this way. Oppius hooked him to the stringer and pulled him through the water awhile playing.
Afterwards he gutted the fish and buried the innards in the sand like his father had taught him.
His father sat on the shore watching the boy, knowing the only battles left to fight was with fish. A servant walked toward Oppius and his father, and gently took the fish from the playing boy. His father walked toward the baths.
|