A Fish Too Small

by
Shyamkant Kulkarni

On Saturday morning CERT Commonder Larry called for training which was postponed the week before. David happened to be in the house. He himself took the call. He had no excuse not to go. So he had to postpone fishing trip to the lake. Linda went for shopping instead. They made to the lake next day, Sunday afternoon. It was a hot day. Air was still. There was an occassional cool breeze coming from the north. The sky was as blue as ever, not a single cloud in the sight. The shore of Davis lake was crowded with people. Soon John arrived. He brought booze. John and Dave both work at the same place. He was also on the emergency response team(CERT).

The Devil's lake spread amidst hills. On the south beach a huge rock was standing straight above the surface of water. Nearly hundred and fifty feet high, it has a rough expansion on the top with two dark depressions looking like eyes from distance. A row of irregular gypsum rocks underneath shined in the sun like crooked teeth. The water was deep around here. Every year some body was bound to drown at this spot. This gave it the name it has.
"Hey John, what you think? Wasn't Larry upset over something yesterday ?"As soon as he had is line down in the water and he was settled on chair, Dave asked John.
"You know he was mad about last time we broke in the cell. Every thing went wrong. They watch the tape in the city. He got kicked."
"Dave, you used the baton when it was not necessary. The guy was already handcuffed." Larry had said, "I had to take the beating for you. Each and every one of you need to remember your roles. Exactly do what you are told. Otherwise….out you go."
Suddenly he felt a jerk.
"I got something." Dave started winding the line. With a swing he got fish out of water. It was average size. "Five pounds, may be seven, too small. Let him go back."
He put fingers in its mouth to remove the hook and whirled it back in the water. "Hey… what you doing. I am planning on frying fish for tomorrow." Linda shouted.
"Too small. I'll get large ones. How many you want?" he asked.
"May be as many as I could get." She said moving away.
She wanted to tell John she was going to have surprise party to Dave on Monday. That was his Birthday. Little later when John moved further, she followed him. “Hey, John, didn’t Tracy tell you?” she was whispering so only John could hear, “It’s Dave's birthday. We having surprise party. I need many more. There are several friends coming. Where is Tracy? She didn't come just now!"
"She drove to Jefferson to see her Mom. She is sick. She should be back by evening." John stopped, "So you have a party on Monday. Well, then I got to catch big ones. Wait and see. May be I will get them down over there."
He then moved away with his fishing pole taking his icebox with him.

That was on Sunday. When they came home, while getting down, Dave noticed a box wrapped in gift paper on the back seat.
"Hey what's this?" He started to tear it open.
"Hey, don’t open." She snatched the box from his hands away. “ I have to take to the office. It’s for Amanda’s baby shower.”
She lied like a professional. She didn't want to tell him yet. Day before she had accidentally stumbled upon a glass rooster at Crackle Barrel yesterday. She liked it so much. She had bought it for Dave for his birthday present. She remembered. Dave used to have a rooster when he was a small child. He used to take part in cockfights. His rooster always won. They lived in the same neighborhood, not to far from each other. She was sure he will like it. She tried to remember. How was he taking his rooster to the cockfight? In a basket with lid. His rooster never liked that. Many times little Dave carried it in both hands holding tight near his heart.

Monday started like just like any other day. Sun rose a little above horizon. Two doves were resting on the edge of stone wall ready to take off. The hands of clock turned eight. Dave was in the Unit 8 along with Barlow. Barlow was junior correctional officer. One batch of inmates had returned from breakfast. The other was ready to go waiting in living area behind iron door. Dave opened outside gate of the yard. Barlow was by iron door. It started moving sideways. Returning crowd rushed in clashing with those coming out.
Suddenly a shrill shriek rose in the air.
"Hey, what… Jesus.." some one loudly yelled.
"May Day…. May Day" Dave heard Barlow and turned around.
Inmates were running in all directions. A short and plump Mexican was attacking Barlow. One inmate was down on the floor, his face was slashed and he was bleeding. Barlow was trying to stop the Mexican. He was trying to grab his wrist.
"Come on you bugger. Let me see what you are. Come" Mexican was yelling as if to challenge.
Dave ran, with one hand he grabbed Barlow's collar and pulled him back, he pressed radio with other hand and yelled, "Emergency, D unit yard, officer is hurt."
By now Barlow had fallen on the ground and Dave had walked directly in front of attacking inmate in direct line of his advance. He had his both hand extended straight ahead, parallel to each other. Some thing sharp entered in his neck on both sides of voice box. Two thin stream of blood spurted out of his neck. He moved back pulling Barlow with him, violently thrust the gate backwards. The gate got closed. out of the gate. The officer at control had already pulled the livers locking inner gate trapping Mexican in the living hall. Inmates had rushed in their own cells.
Pressing his both hands on the neck Dave ran towards medical.
Dave Turner walked in the medical, his both hands pressing on the neck, blood spurting out like a fountain from underneath. Nurse Betty met him at the door. She held his hand. She led him to the table in Exam Room.
Dave died in hospital two days later. He had fifty units of blood transfused. He was in surgery for several hours. After two days on artificial life support, they decided to quit. Barlow had several wounds, some quite deep. But he survived.

. There was a trail of spattered blood and foot prints on the concrete side walk. Little later Dr. Wright followed the trail. He was the psychologist. When he came to the pod, he saw Mexican holding knives in two hands sitting on a concrete bench in the center of dormitory in the Pod. Then he got up and started pacing. He was shouting.
"Hey, I am Dr. Wright. How you doing?”
“Come on in. I will show you.” Mexican grumbled.
“You know me, I am psychologist."
dormitory in the Pod. Then he got up and started pacing. He was shouting. "Hey, I am Dr. Wright. How you doing?”
“Come on in. I will show you.” Mexican grumbled.
“You know me, I am psychologist." "I don't need any shrink." was curt reply from Mexican.
"Didn't we meet before?" Dr Wright asked. Now he remembered, he had seen him a couple weeks before.
"Can we talk? You need to put down on those knives." Dr Wright started again, "I can help you".
" I don’t need anybody’s help." He curtly answered back, "You never helped anyone."
"How is your buddy doing?" Dr Wright remembered, Mexican was upset over his friend that time. Day before his friend was robbed while coming back from canteen. He was from his neighborhood.
"He died. You don't care."
“Well, I do. What happened." "He had brain fever. They thrust ice peak in his ears. He was bleeding. " "They sent him to the hospital. He got the best treatment. Outside…"
"That's what you say Shriek."
"Just drop those knives, and go back in your cell." Again Dr Wright suggested. "Come on in, and get them. I ain’t giving in. You know people are dying here. We don't get decent food, We don't get medical attention. We need attention. Now I bet some body will listen."
An officer came and signaled Dr Wright to stop and get back. He returned to medical.
Betty was crying. She is working here for last twelve years. Three nurses were standing in office and sobbing. "They need to go and shoot him." Betty said.
"They told us not to get out. They just waiting for permission. They want yard clear." Said Ronda. Ronda is another nurse. She had spent fifteen years in the prison.