The Walleye eats twice a day—morning and at sunset. He never really thought of that before, although he usually doesn’t go fishing by himself, but his buddies all had other things to do today. Eating in the morning—breakfast…yes, one should eat breakfast. Funny thing, when one does, like those rare Sundays, when he goes to breakfast with the family after going to early church service, he feels satisfied and then doesn’t eat until early evening, and then it is light—like a chicken breast salad. Maybe he should eat that way every day and he would lose his beer gut.
Speaking of beer guts. What a load of crap. And speaking of Crappie, where did that name come from? Although most people he knows pronounce it crop-pee. Crappies eat crap-like insects, minnows, and other small fish. Maybe that’s how it got its name. A bit like Big Bill who scares people so much with his gruff ways…maybe people think he’ll eat them. Although he might, and spit them out if he had the chance. Like the purple people eater. Speaking of that, he does wear a lot of purple shirts—deep purple t-shirts and light purple dress shirts. And green.
Jack continues to compare each important person in his life to the fish in the water, and in doing so has a revelation….
When Jason was born, it was like becoming a parent all over again. The other two were so close together, it seemed like one solid experience. By the time Jason came along, it was a huge slap in the face to experience pregnancy all over again. The morning sickness, the cravings, the need for rest. Jack had been out of practice with the dad stuff, and found himself needing to help Melinda more and more. He even took time off after Jason was born to help out. Of course, that didn't last, because someone had to make a living.
Melinda had her second C-section with Jason, and it was incredibly hard on her. Motherhood was wearing her down in some ways, although fulfilling her life in others. She didn't even plan on having another until she found out she was pregnant with Nicole.
Jack remembers the night Melinda told him. They had just gotten Jason to sleep late that night and collapsed back onto their bed together, exhausted beyond words.
“We did it,” Jack said.
“We did it.”
“Three kids. Seventeen more years ‘till they’re out of the house.”
“If you had told me it was even possible to be this tired—”
“What time is it? One?”
“—I would have told you to kindly shove it.”
Jack reached across and pulled Melinda close. “Hey.”
“Hm?”
Jack smiled. “I think you’re doing a great job.”
| Language | Status |
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Portuguese
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Already translated.
Translated by Matheus H. Silva
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by Carla Jessica Scotta
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