TWENTY-FISH

TWENTY-FISH                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

         My granddaughters and I live in a resort village situated on a spring-fed lake. Every summer, we welcome the tourists that discover our little piece of paradise. Swimming is especially conducive to meeting these visitors.                                                                                          

         One July day of sunshine and splashing, Sydney and Emily met two eleven-year old city boys from Southern Ontario. Before long, the four of them were diving and cannon-balling off the dock together. As so often happens when males and females mingle, the boys would show off.                                                                                                                                  

         They dared each other to run faster and jump further while making sure that the girls witnessed their feats. Their yells were exuberant. Over and over, they repeated their macho moves until they were forced to stop for a breather.                                                                      

         While floating in the water, these four kids introduced themselves to each other. A bond had been forged and now they were curious about names.

         One of the boys said of his friend, "You can call him Dee."

         Was 'Dee' really 'D'; a cool nickname?                                                                      

         Dee seemed to be fascinated that the girls lived nearby. He actually asked them if they'd ever been to St. Catharine's or Toronto. Was he not-so-subtly implying that he was superior?                                        

         My youngest granddaughter was oblivious to any of this.

          "I'm Emily and I'm seven. My birthday is October twenty-fifth."

         (She was off by one day. Her birthday is the twenty-sixth.)                                                  

         She'd no sooner made this announcement when Dee scrambled frantically onto the dock screaming, "Fish!"

         The swaggering cocky city boy was apparently afraid of fish.                                                                      

         I don't know what was funnier; his panicked departure from the clear water, the confused expression on his face as he shivered on the dock, or the howls of laughter from his buddy as he gasped, "Twenty-fish."

         Three heads now bobbed in the clear water, water that would not hide any imminent attack by toe-nibbling fish. Emily sneaked a quick peak as she dove.

         "Dee, what fish?"

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