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SomeWhere ditch
Its not really a ditch now, just a dried up dip between the tire ruts.
Its only called SomeWhere ditch cause SomeOne cares about it, albeit too
late to help the small lives that were once thriving there.
Bubba didn't know. Not that he would have cared if he did. Bubba runs
one of the big log skidders that haul the cut down trees out of the
clear cut areas round these parts. Its his job, of course! He just
thought the little ditch that was just big enough to maybe be a creek
some very wet day was the shortest way to haul the logs out. So he
started crossing it. Nothing new. That's the way he and all the haulers
handle the job. Just get the trees out to the road for pickup anyway
that's fastest. Just do it.
Bubba didn't even stop to notice the slowly dring out mud slicks he was
making had life in them. Never crossed his mind. He was too busy. Lots
of wood to get to the mill today, got to make the boss happy. Maybe he
would get that little bit extra in the check this week like he's been
promised. Maybe.
The kids run away from the house to get away from the dust when Bubba's
truck comes tearing down the gravel road as he finally gets home Friday
afternoon. He got the extra! Now he could get Molly that new fish tank
she wants so bad. Don't cost a lot, but it all adds up, so he's had to
work harder this week to get it for her.
Just he can't figure out why she wants him to take her down to the
creek back of the house to get fish. Yeah, there's fish there, for sure.
He's been fihsin up and down that creek ever since they moved to these
parts when he was a kid better than 30 years ago. But why get fish
there, and not at the store like anybody with sence would? O well, Molly
always was a funny sort of girl, with her own way of seein things. Guess
this is just one of her ways.
There it goes! He can't get that minner! Been wadin here 20 minutes,
but can't get it! She finally says "Its ok daddy, I can do it," and she
does. Slowly comes over to the water's edge and gently scoops the little
one that she wants up in the net.
"Lets take them back to the house now so's they don't get too hot in
the bucket daddy," she says. And off they go, a first for him and her,
out in the creek collecting fish. But not the last. Soon he starts to
ask her if she wants to go to the creek again, and he usually goes even
the times she stays home these days.
Bubba has been converted. He knows the lessons the creek can teach now.
Why? Because someone lectured him on the wrongfullness of his ways? No.
Because someone made threats against his job and the security of his
family? No. Well, What?
Bubba chose to hear the words of his daughter whom he loves. She alone
in all the world made the difference. And a difference it was. Not for
today, or next week, no. The difference will last for Bubba's lifetime,
and some of his buddies at work too, cause they respect him and his
judgement.
And Molly? She learned about the fish in the creek being good to keep
cause her teacher has got some in the class room. Miss Mathews got them
from a givaway deal when she joined a group of folks that want to help
average people learn about the fish and the way life is for them. Molly
wants to join it too someday, but just likes the fish she and her daddy
get from the creek together for now, cause she loves her daddy and likes
to do thier "creekin" together.
The little creek that Bubba destroyed so long ago is no more. O sure,
there's water collected there every year, but its never going to be the
same as it was. Never.
Good thing Bubba learned in time to go around some of the little creeks
and mudholes, or the whole area for miles around might have wound up
like the cities with the concrete everywhere and the pavement covering
over all the little runoff ditches.
As long as daddy's love their kids, the little fish have a fighting
chance, be it in the cities, or the country, people listen to the
children before heaven or earth could move them otherwise.
Want to save a fish's way of life? Teach a child the wonders of the
native fish, and the joy of sharing it with dad and mom.