Thursday, August 21, 2008

Let Loose

I used to keep turtles as summer pets, and when the nights began to burn the grass consistently with frost, I would take them over to our neighbor's pond to release them. Standing just beyond the bulrushes, I would watch the little fellows paddle out exuberantly and franticly all at once into the deeper waters, and always noticed that the center of the pond would almost simultaneaously birth a dozen or so forms of bass who would then circle the bewildered little newcomers as if to welcome them.

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I sit in the doorway of my advisor's office in the English Department at Andrews University, attempting to figure out the details of my transfer. Her husband comes by and I am introduced--last name too, of course--and not thirty seconds later I have a friendly voice from the right and an exclamation from across the hall, and a cheerful assembly of professors and doctors of English and not English, some of whom I have already met, surrounding the part of me that portrudes from the harbor of the office, and swirling about me the cool green feel of a new stretch of friendly waters--and it has already been proven that these ones truly mean their welcome.

4 comments:

Kristin said...

You're transferring to Andrews??? :)

Caitlin said...

:) swim! and delight in it :)

Alex said...

Don't bass eat baby turtles?

EEK said...

Kristin: Indeed! My major is no longer available at AUC and while I could finish up there, it wouldn't be the best idea. Most importantly, God gave me the "Go, my child" and so I am gone.
Caitlin: Thank you, my dear friend, I am trying. But you must remember that swimming is sometimes the difficulty.:)
Alex: Unfortunately, that is the rest of the story... the first summer I watched one turtle get chomped--too much of a mouthful though as the turtle was released and swam away. That was the last time I let baby turtles go in that pond.