I read this at the speed (almost) that it was written from the very beginning... feeling slightly breathless in fact! First I thought, 'surely he isn't going to voluntarily put his head into all that warm catfish shitty water' then, not knowing exactly what the dangers a cottonmouth posed I looked it up and find "Agkistrodon piscivorus is a species of 'venomous' snake, a 'pit viper' in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae." and conclude actually Zak may have had a point!
We do some damn crazy things to prove our worth within our work/peer group as youngsters but this David... I am not surprised its haunted you all your life!
Brilliant writing my friend, thank you for sharing.
David, you injected me with a dose of at least two intense emotions at the same time this bland grey Sunday morning! Awe and laughter! You cracked me open with the fig newtons. I’m not an easy one to break, either. Thank you! I feel alive again!
Oh, Jill this has me grinning ear to ear. And to think it was the fig newtons... The guys on the catfish farm found my almost daily consumption of an individual pack of fig newtons as a sweet chaser to my Wonder Bread sandwich lunch such an oddity that they took to calling me 'Fig' and 'Fig Newton' as a friendly nickname.
I am so very grateful that you made time to offer up such a fun note. Thank you.
I loved this story! It was so well written, balanced with tension and your teenage thoughts and feelings. I’m glad you made it through so you could share it with us😀
Your note pleases me immensely, Danyce. Thank you for such generous encouragement. If only we'd had the tools to speak truthfully of our fears and foibles back then, when we were feeling our way along in the midst of all that swirl...
As someone said to me years ago after sharing some similar tale... "I'm so glad I didn't know, back when I was fifteen, what fifteen year old boys were really thinking."
Ohmigoodness! I started grinning practically from the beginning of this story, and did not stop until way past the end. Thank you for this perfect description of a 15-year-old boy. ♥️
What a foray into the unimaginable! I kept thinking you weren't gonna, you really weren't gonna dive under there---oh you crazy-brave (foolish) guy! Love the way you told the story---love the way you lived it---oh man...I could feel the terror...totes relate to the sudden impulse, that intense "gotta do it" adventure of risk-taking (but NEVER with poisonous snakes!).
Oh my friend, there's something so vulnerable about your days there---I feel it in every chapter---not just your vulnerable self, but the inner-character courage you found to meet everything straight on---but grabbing a monstrous, maybe-still-alive Water Moccasin in murkiy water---! With only a rake! Oh you told this so good---I was right there with ya...you know I admire you like the brother I never had...and I love this chapter for so many reasons...
Hey pal, been meaning to move past the 'sitting with this' phase and into the next, 'acknowledging it' stage. You are such a careful and generous reader I never want to hurriedly toss off a reply to one of your notes. In some way, every sheet of fine, rag paper, every canvas, every lump of clay 'thonked' onto the wheel and centered is that same sort of starting gate that precedes that intense, "gotta do it" adventure. Adding in a poisonous snake, may add a degree of difficulty in keeping a cool head as one barrels forward, but if this story proves anything it may be that cool headedness isn't always the moral of a good story. How does the saying go? Wisdom comes from failures and failures are the result of bad information and poor choices. So the wisdom we all seek and admire is nearly always the result of having made a bunch of bad choices and having survived them. The number of ill-informed choices that fifteen-year-old me made in the space of less than an hour rather astounds me. And that was just part of one day.
I am simply giddy with delight that this story found a responding chord in you, and am ever grateful for your encouragements. Thank you.
Even at the age of 77 images from “Night of the Hunter “ are with me. Reading any of your writing is for me life affirming, joyful, soulful, grounding, and my touchstone. I avoid snakes in any form but I read every word and even glanced at the photo. This time I set aside my fears and was rewarded with your story telling. Thank you.
Hi Deborah, I was hoping that Night Of The Hunter would be meaningful to someone. Thanks for understanding that reference. And thank you for being brave enough to glance at the photo
Wow. THAT was really hard for me to read. I sort of skittered my eyes over your words and tried to remember to breathe. I'm hoping I don't have snaky nightmares. You DO have a way with words, David.
Cheryl, your note is a gift. I’ll admit, I had not quite anticipated the stress that a snake story might create for some readers, and certainly did not want to play carelessly with anyone’s emotions, but I am kinda grateful that it felt like a bit of a wild ride. Thank you for being brave and for such kind words.
Wow!!!! Got me, friend! gripping my iPad edges for security in my comfortable chair as I wade those muddy waters with you, lives at the exquisite edge of teen existence…edge of seat thrills! 💕
I can scarcely imagine a sweeter compliment than “gripping my iPad edges,” Sheila. Thank you for wading in with me., back to the exquisite edge of teen existence. Big hug!
Oh, my. Snakes and adolescence. Thanks, I think, for taking me back to a hot California day, a shotgun, and a timber rattler sunning in the driveway. And thanks for your end note. It is biblical.
Death always wins!!!
Uh. I hate snakes. Good story well written. But I might have nightmares now.
I read this at the speed (almost) that it was written from the very beginning... feeling slightly breathless in fact! First I thought, 'surely he isn't going to voluntarily put his head into all that warm catfish shitty water' then, not knowing exactly what the dangers a cottonmouth posed I looked it up and find "Agkistrodon piscivorus is a species of 'venomous' snake, a 'pit viper' in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae." and conclude actually Zak may have had a point!
We do some damn crazy things to prove our worth within our work/peer group as youngsters but this David... I am not surprised its haunted you all your life!
Brilliant writing my friend, thank you for sharing.
Dear, dear Susie, your thoughtful note has made my morning. How possibly to thank you properly?
Just keep writing Raisin’ up Catfish David… 🙏🏼
Yess'um. I can do that.
David, you injected me with a dose of at least two intense emotions at the same time this bland grey Sunday morning! Awe and laughter! You cracked me open with the fig newtons. I’m not an easy one to break, either. Thank you! I feel alive again!
Oh, Jill this has me grinning ear to ear. And to think it was the fig newtons... The guys on the catfish farm found my almost daily consumption of an individual pack of fig newtons as a sweet chaser to my Wonder Bread sandwich lunch such an oddity that they took to calling me 'Fig' and 'Fig Newton' as a friendly nickname.
I am so very grateful that you made time to offer up such a fun note. Thank you.
Keep up the good work, Fig!
Damn David. My hearts still racing. Nice job!
I thank you kindly, Tim.
I loved this story! It was so well written, balanced with tension and your teenage thoughts and feelings. I’m glad you made it through so you could share it with us😀
Your note pleases me immensely, Danyce. Thank you for such generous encouragement. If only we'd had the tools to speak truthfully of our fears and foibles back then, when we were feeling our way along in the midst of all that swirl...
As someone said to me years ago after sharing some similar tale... "I'm so glad I didn't know, back when I was fifteen, what fifteen year old boys were really thinking."
Ohmigoodness! I started grinning practically from the beginning of this story, and did not stop until way past the end. Thank you for this perfect description of a 15-year-old boy. ♥️
Imagine me smiling, dear Maria. And the fifteen year old is blushing.
Thank you!
What a foray into the unimaginable! I kept thinking you weren't gonna, you really weren't gonna dive under there---oh you crazy-brave (foolish) guy! Love the way you told the story---love the way you lived it---oh man...I could feel the terror...totes relate to the sudden impulse, that intense "gotta do it" adventure of risk-taking (but NEVER with poisonous snakes!).
Oh my friend, there's something so vulnerable about your days there---I feel it in every chapter---not just your vulnerable self, but the inner-character courage you found to meet everything straight on---but grabbing a monstrous, maybe-still-alive Water Moccasin in murkiy water---! With only a rake! Oh you told this so good---I was right there with ya...you know I admire you like the brother I never had...and I love this chapter for so many reasons...
Hey pal, been meaning to move past the 'sitting with this' phase and into the next, 'acknowledging it' stage. You are such a careful and generous reader I never want to hurriedly toss off a reply to one of your notes. In some way, every sheet of fine, rag paper, every canvas, every lump of clay 'thonked' onto the wheel and centered is that same sort of starting gate that precedes that intense, "gotta do it" adventure. Adding in a poisonous snake, may add a degree of difficulty in keeping a cool head as one barrels forward, but if this story proves anything it may be that cool headedness isn't always the moral of a good story. How does the saying go? Wisdom comes from failures and failures are the result of bad information and poor choices. So the wisdom we all seek and admire is nearly always the result of having made a bunch of bad choices and having survived them. The number of ill-informed choices that fifteen-year-old me made in the space of less than an hour rather astounds me. And that was just part of one day.
I am simply giddy with delight that this story found a responding chord in you, and am ever grateful for your encouragements. Thank you.
Even at the age of 77 images from “Night of the Hunter “ are with me. Reading any of your writing is for me life affirming, joyful, soulful, grounding, and my touchstone. I avoid snakes in any form but I read every word and even glanced at the photo. This time I set aside my fears and was rewarded with your story telling. Thank you.
Hi Deborah, I was hoping that Night Of The Hunter would be meaningful to someone. Thanks for understanding that reference. And thank you for being brave enough to glance at the photo
Wow. THAT was really hard for me to read. I sort of skittered my eyes over your words and tried to remember to breathe. I'm hoping I don't have snaky nightmares. You DO have a way with words, David.
Cheryl, your note is a gift. I’ll admit, I had not quite anticipated the stress that a snake story might create for some readers, and certainly did not want to play carelessly with anyone’s emotions, but I am kinda grateful that it felt like a bit of a wild ride. Thank you for being brave and for such kind words.
Wow!!!! Got me, friend! gripping my iPad edges for security in my comfortable chair as I wade those muddy waters with you, lives at the exquisite edge of teen existence…edge of seat thrills! 💕
I can scarcely imagine a sweeter compliment than “gripping my iPad edges,” Sheila. Thank you for wading in with me., back to the exquisite edge of teen existence. Big hug!
You are the best storyteller! Thanks for another great one.
Thank you for the kind words and smile, Betsy.
Oh, my. Snakes and adolescence. Thanks, I think, for taking me back to a hot California day, a shotgun, and a timber rattler sunning in the driveway. And thanks for your end note. It is biblical.
You, Brad are most welcome. I’m intrigued by the shotgun/rattler glimpse and delighted that this was transporting for you.