Daddy, Me and the Minnows

Daddy and me in1979

He always said I was the apple of his eye,

I ran home crying, as fast as my legs would carry me.

My friends ganged up on me,

because I was the littlest, the youngest,

picking on me, causing my tears to flow,

"Oh Daddy, Daddy," I cried,

"They were so mean to me!"

He dried my tears with his handkerchief, 

and said, "Come with me."

In the middle of a big project, 

building a gas station, which would 

become our family business. 

Building our gas station

Took me across the road, 

gave me a candy bar and a bottle of pop, 

then a big spoon to dig in the dirt, 

while he set to work on the building. 

Pretty soon he took a break,

took me by the hand, carrying a minnow bucket, 

that fishermen use. We crossed the road again,

followed the path beyond our house,

to the creek that ran along the back,

climbed down to the edge of the water,

he said, "Look at the fish!"

"Oh Daddy, there are so many!"

"Let's catch you a few."

"Will I cook them to eat?" I questioned.

"No, we will set up a home for them,

in your bedroom, so you can watch them,

take care of them and spend time 

getting to know them." I was excited,

to say the least. I loved fish and couldn't believe

I could have them in my bedroom!

Me 

Then we picked out some gravel from the bottom

of the creek, some rocks and some seaweed and plants.

Back at our house, we put the minnows in a big glass jar

with the gravel, the rocks and the plants.

"Let's put the minnows in now," said Daddy.

We watched them swim, then scattered some crumbs to eat.

I remember for years and years, always having a minnow

tank in my bedroom. Something my Daddy and I did together,

every time the last minnow died.

Copyright © 2018 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2018 Kathleen G. Lupole