penzilla

Went for a short run this morning at 6am.  Unlike my Dad who runs inland as the sun is rising and who has to jump alligators like sidewalk speed bumps, I run on the beach.  The moon was still pretty bright in the sky.  The clouds were behind me to the north, and as I ran south along the low tide shore I could see Savannah clearly at the horizon.  Close to shore, there was a school of dolphins bobbing up and down.  A sandpiper was stabbing small fish in the runoff tide pools.  And just above it all, the pelicans were stalking fish in the shallows.  It’s always a bit startling the first time you see a sea bird, so elegant in the air, nose dive into the water to catch a fish.  Enviable.

About an hour later, I walked with my mom, aunt and her partner, Ron, along the same route.  After about ten minutes we saw a little sand shark thrashing around to get back into the water.  Someone had caught him and was securing his line just up-shore.  For those of you who have read my blog here may recall my sensitivity to this issue.

On account of the bad history, I knew had to do something.  I had to throw it back into the ocean.  My mom was beside me.  She tried to nudged it back in once, twice with her foot.  But it was still stuck in the shallow water.  As I reached down to try to secure it and then throw it back, the fisherman ran up behind us.  He said something unmemorable like hey, that’s my shark, but don’t worry, I’ll throw it back. And he picked up the shark and then turned back before throwing it into the water.  Go ahead, touch her.   And we did.

Then, as if she had never been there, he tossed her back into the ocean and I swear her back arched a bit as she dove back into the water.  It took exactly three years, but the moment has finally been resolved for me.

This is the last family thing I’m going to be doing before I leave for Europe, and I think it’s a good way to say goodbye to America.

In the next few days, I will be changing my blog name to better accomodate my posting and writing from Budapest.  I can’t think of a better way to end penzilla (for now) than with the shark this morning.  Sort of an end of an era, I suppose.  So, stay tuned for a link to my new address.