Dad wasn’t there that day

wouldn’t have been interested

so Mom filled the role gladly

did the dad-thing by

renting a row boat

she took us boys fishing

because boys needed to do things with worms and hooks and poles

and feel the thrust that oars made against water

it was a lake near a discount store with a highway going over

not exactly Nature

not exactly fish fish

sunfish

little ones

even smaller in the frying pan