Blot finds his way home
David Brager © 1995
Chapter 1.
In the ocean, off the western coast, where the Columbia River meets the ocean, a storm
was playing havoc with the sea: Winds howled through the trees as waves crashed and spattered
the shore with its mighty forces. Suddenly, a blazing bolt of lightning split the darkness,
vaporizing millions of raindrops into a huge ball of expanding steam, which then exploded into
thunder. And in such a time, a single drop of water came to life.
"Look at that!" a seahorse said. "There's a face on that little blobbing dot of water." The
eyes opened, and a curious look spread over the face.
"Hello," said the seahorse,"What's your name?"
"A...name..." said the face. "What's a name?"
"I'm Hank. I've never seen you before. Are you new here?"
"Where is here?" asked the face.
"In the ocean. My mommy says it's my home."
"What's a mommy?"
"Oh, a mommy is filled with warm love and makes anywhere you are with her your
home...You're not from around here, are you?"
"I don't know."
Hank looked around, and saw a salmon swimming by.
"Mr. Salmon, can you help me."
For a fish to look puzzled was quite a chore. Most of the time, fish just look like fish.
"What's wrong for you?" the fish asked.
"Oh no, not for me. You see, I just met this blobbing dot of water, and it has a face on it.
The face has been asking me some questions. I don't know where he's from, but I don't think he's
from around here. Is there any way you can tell."
The salmon thought about this for a moment. "Well," he finally answered,"I could taste
him."
The seahorse's eyes grew wide. "Will that hurt him?" Hank asked.
"Nah, he's made of water. It may make him a little slimy for a few minutes, but as he
passes through my gills, I bet I can tell where he's from." Turning to the face, he said, "You
know, we can't keep calling you a blobbing dot. Do you mind if I just call you Blot?"
"I guess..." answered Blot.
"Good. You just stay there, and don't be afraid. You'll pass in my mouth, then out my
gills, and then we'll talk again," and with that, the fish sucked him through his mouth, and let Blot
pass out through his gills.
"Glory be. You're fresh
water. I've tasted water like you before." Schooner
pondered
his memories for a moment. "Yes, I even know where you're from. Do you want to go there? I'm
headed there myself. Would you like a ride?"
"This must be your lucky day," said Hank.
"I don't know," said Blot," but it sounds okay."
"Well, I was just heading up for spawning. That happens every year. Blot, I want you to
go back inside my mouth, but this time, instead of going through my gills, I want you to go
straight to the back. That way, we can talk on the trip, and you can see through my gills, but you
won't get out until we get you closer to home." And for the very first time, Blot smiled.
Chapter 2.
Riding in the belly of a fish is not the greatest way to travel, but Blot didn't seem to mind.
He was growing more facinated by this fish.
"Blot, my name is Schooner." said Schooner. " I'm a Coho Salmon. I've spent this last
summer out all over this ocean, and now I have to head back home. I've got to tell you a few
things, and they can be a little scary."
Blot didn't know what to say, but after some time of silence, he said,"Okay, Mr.
Salmon...I mean Schooner."
"That's better. Now, how much do you know?"
Blot thought for about a moment, for that was all the thoughts that he had. "Not much, I
guess."
"Well, Blot, I'm an animal. A fish, to
be sure. There's one thing you find with animals that
you don't much find with vegetables nor minerals. Do you know what that is?"
Blot had no idea. "No..."
"Animals eat other animals to stay alive."
"Am I an animal?" Blot whispered?
"No, you are an element."
"Huh?"
"Let me put it this way. You are made up of water because you are water. I am made up
of water, and food, and bones, and blood, and all sorts of other stuff. You could say that I am
made up of a little bit of you, but you can never be made up of any part of me."
"Why is that, Schooner?"
"Because, you are a pure element. Actually, you are a compound, but I'm not going to get
into that."
"Why?"
"Do you know what an atom is?"
"No."
"Well, when you do, you will find that when you bundle up atoms together, they form
compounds."
"Oh."
"See, you really didn't need to know, but now you do."
"I do?....I guess....I...."
"Anyway, we are going to travel up river. Do you know what a river is?"
"No."
"Think about it this way. You, Blot, are a single drop of water. What I am swimming in
is lots and lots of droplets just like you. When drops come together, they form pools, and when
pools come together, they form streams, which travel downhill to form lakes, which then form
rivers, like the one I am swimming in right now. All around us are droplets of water, just like
you, but not all of them came from where you are from. Some came from other rivers, or just out
of the sky. It's truly amazing."
"And so confusing..."
"No. See, some of these drops of water may be your brothers and sisters. There are just
so many of them that we'd never get you home if we stopped to talk to all of them. But, if you
smile at them, they'll appreciate it."
And for the second time in his life, Blot began smiling.
Chapter 3.
After a while, Blot noticed that the ride was a bit bumpy. He asked,"Are we going up and
down?"
"Yes...It's hard work...I'm going up a fish ladder at a dam. I'll talk to you in a little while,"
and with that, Blot felt Schooner move around, sometimes leaping into the air, only to bound
back into the water. At times, Blot thought he could see bright light out of Schooner's mouth, but
then the water would flush back in, and the ride would start all over again.
After a while, the ride settled down a bit, and Schooner's voice came back to Blot. "Boy,
was that a rough one. How's the ride in there?"
"I saw light! What's that from?"
Schooner thought for a moment, then asked,"Was that when we were going up for a
second or so and then falling down?"
Blot whispered,"Yes..."
"Oh," Schooner continued,"That was from the sun. When I want to really move fast uphill
while swimming, I jump out of the water. You see, the water can push me downhill faster than I
can swim uphill, but if I am out of the water, I can glide through the air, and gain more speed."
"What is the sun?" asked Blot.
"Another good question. Well, as best I can figure, it's a big warm thing that comes out to
play for about half of the day, and then goes to sleep. When it's asleep, things get colder, but
when it's awake, most animals are awake as well. Does that work?"
"I guess so," Blot whispered. "Schooner, my eyes don't want to stay open. Is this
normal?"
"You're probably very tired. I'm surprised you made it this long. Go against the flow.
Relax. I'll talk to you when you wake up.
Chapter 4.
Sleep came quickly for Blot, and as sleep goes, he had no idea how much time had passed
when he finally awoke. "Schooner, are you still out there?" Blot sounded very quiet, but rested.
"Blot, it was good you were asleep. You missed some excitement."
"What happened, Schooner?"
"Do you remember yesterday that I told you how animals ate other animals?"
Blot thought for a moment, and then he remembered. "Yes."
"Well, there were these animals that were trying to catch fish like me. They stood on their
back legs, and used something to try to poke me. Luckily, I got away, but many others didn't
make it."
"Schooner, why are you making that noise and moving around in here so much."
"Blot, I am sad for my brothers and sisters that died. Still, I respect the animals that killed
them, for other animals need food as much as I do. It's all a part of the way things are."
"What is food?"
Schooner slipped out of his sorrow for a moment, considering the question. "Blot, this
probably does not affect you, but other animals use their mouths to eat. I've stopped a couple
times while you were asleep and brought in some insects that I ate. My body will use them to
make me stronger."
"Oh, I thought those things were furniture," Blot giggled.
"Blot, it's not funny. I had to kill those creatures so I could survive. I respect them for
being a part of my diet, but it doesn't make ending their life much easier."
"What is life?"
"My boy, that is the miracle that makes you aware that you exist, and is what makes you
more special than all these other drops of water. It is a gift, and must be treated with respect."
The ride went on. As he
rode, Blot became aware that it was getting colder. It did
not
bother him, but, somehow, he did notice it.
"Blot, we are in a stream, and much closer to your mommy. I need to tell you that I
cannot take you all the way to her. So, you may want to practice your swimming a little, if you
have the room. Just be careful of getting too close to my gills."
A good suggestion, Blot thought, as he was getting kinda bored. So, in the belly of a fish,
Blot learned to swim.
Chapter 5.
Without thinking about it, Blot nodded off for a time. Swimming was fun, but he was
rather new at all this, and soon he was, again, asleep. At some point, he awoke when Schooner
called to him.
"Blot, I've reached the part where you'll have to go it alone. Can you swim outside?"
Schooner then opened his mouth, and Blot swam out.
"Schooner, what are you going to do here?"
Schooner colored slightly. "Well, you see all those other fish? They are here for
spawning?"
"What's spawning?"
"Well, that is how we make more fish just like us. One fish lays eggs in the still waters,
and another fish fertilizes them. That allows the eggs to grow into little fishes in the spring, which
then become bigger fishes that go back to the ocean next year."
"Schooner, can I get a ride from you to the ocean next year?" Blot asked.
"Well...no...I won't be going back to ocean ever again. Blot, after I work on the eggs, I
am going to die."
"What does it mean to die?"
"Blot, to tell you the truth, I have no
idea. I guess I'll find that out when it happens. But,
look, I need to get you going to see your mother. Can you feel the water flow? You need to go
against the flow, and swim upstream, to the places where the fish don't go. When you get coldest,
call out. You may find your mommy there. Goodbye, Blot. Enjoy life!"
As Blot swam away, Schooner could hear him say,"What's goodbye?"
Chapter 6.
Schooner was right. Blot found that the waters were getting much colder, not that it
bothered him, but the stream was getting covered with white stuff that felt hard to the touch and
much colder than the water. Looking around, he saw that there weren't many fish around him,
and soon, there were no fish at all.
Suddenly, Blot was gripped by fear, for he felt totally alone. In his fear, he cried out, and
in the silence, heard a warm voice call out to him. Blot swam to the voice, but found it more
difficult as there was less and less water in which to swim. Finally, he stopped. He couldn't swim
any more for he was frozen in the ice. He cried out,"Now I'll never find my mommy."
"What do you mean, Blot. I'm right here." Mother Glacier spoke in a cool, soothing
voice.
"How do you know my name?" Blot asked.
"Well, sounds travel very well through water. I've been listening to you ever since you
were still some ways off. I even heard you when you were talking to someone named
'Schooner.'"
"Are you my mommy?" Blot asked.
"Yes. And you are the first one of my children to ever become aware that you had a
mommy. For a long time, I would see all my water droplets flow away from me, never once
saying goodbye." Mother Glacier groaned. "But you have made my life so happy. Will you stay
with me now?"
"I guess I have to. I can't move," Blot intoned
"Oh, you'll be able to move come spring. But will you stay with me."
Blot thought about this for a moment. "Mommy, are you always this cold?"
"Blot, I am frozen, and will always be frozen, but I have love for you. Do you feel
warmth inside that, before, didn't seem to be there?"
Blot thought for a minute. There was a feeling there he'd never felt before, and it was
growing. "What is love?"
"Love is an energy source that we have for others, and, like water, pools together to
become stronger when two or more share their love. Blot, I feel great love for you, and I believe
I am feeling love from you. Do you feel it too?"
A smile crossed his face, and froze there. "Yes, Mommy, I feel love. I guess Hank was
right. Mommy, I'm home. I'm finally home."
(c) 1995 David Brager