Phil’s Day Off

She tried his phone again, and again it was off.  Samantha inhaled, exhaled and then moved on to the next name on the list.  Phil was rather impressive.  New but impressive.  He racked up more positive guest comments in one month than some of her other service providers did in the three years that The HoneyPot was open.  She peeked at his file and saw “spear fishing, karaoke, and football” under Hobbies and Interests.  She smiled.

A few miles north bathed by the Caribbean Sea, Phil wasn’t smiling.  Thoughts of Debbie crossed his mind as the memories flowed through his body.  He adjusted his facemask and dived.  The water soothed his broken ego.  The water did nothing to dilute his memories of her smell, or her touch, or the sound of her laugh…ooh! A fish!  His powerful strokes sent him in pursuit of supper.

Gallia looked out of the window of the quaint little house.  She saw her son dive into the water with spear in hand.  He started to shun the gun after Debbie.  She also liked Debbie, but Phil was too headstrong to let her leave.  Whatever happened had happened.  Now there was no hope of cute little mixed babies with curls and mischievous grins.  There was just spear fishing and barbeque.

Phil missed his shot and came up for air.  The sun burned his eyes and he sneezed.  Although if he wanted to go deeper he could just gear up.  His mother always packed his old gear just in case.  Mom could bitch and moan all she wanted; she was always by his side.  Even though it was three months since losing Debbie, she was still coming down the islands with him.  This time though, he brought a good friend of his, Kai.

Kai was inside reading a book.  They rented this house and she found such a treasure trove of old school books in the den.  After breakfast, she sat down to read.  Phil was a nice guy.  A man’s man.  Fishing, football, parties, beach, and barbeque.  His new job at The HoneyPot had her little worried.  She wondered if he was trying to forget Debbie the old fashioned way.  After all, the post-Debbie depression cost him his job.  And the HoneyPot paid well.  Maybe she should apply.  She pulled off her t-shirt and went outside to join Phil in the water.

Gallia felt her heart lift.  Kai was no Debbie.  But Kai was brave, and crazy and not bad looking.  Not too good looking either.  But she would do.  She looked on as Kai picked up a spear and waded into the water to follow Phil.

Damn fish was too quick.  Damn Debbie was being too distracting.  He wanted to just go inside and do some peppered shrimp with lemon juice.  Kai threatened to permanently contract him to her if he continued to make that.  He dived again.

Kai saw his dive and decided to swim off in a different direction.  She saw a flash of silver, but her eyesight wasn’t as good as Phil’s so she had to swim a little slower to counteract the turbulence in the water.  She threw her spear and felt it snag.  It was a short fight in her favour.  She landed herself a nice fish.  She swam out to the shallower water and shouted for Phil.

He heard Kai shout his name, but he was in pursuit of a fish he had dubbed ‘Sir Ernie’.  Sir Ernie was playing him like an old Tetris game.  He was trying to wear him out so that he would give up and go back to shore.  Sir Ernie also did not want to swim out into deeper waters where his other enemies resided.  He was being careful.  So was Phil.  He was patient as a lover, and spear fishing was like making love.  Waiting patiently and striking out firmly when the time was right.  And Phil was nothing if not a great lover.  He smirked and went after Sir Ernie.

Kai already had her fish scaled, gutted and beheaded.  She rinsed with salt water and was about to filet it when Gallia told her to go back into the water and back Phil up.  She didn’t want to; after all, she had already dried her hair.  However, one did not say ‘no’ to Phil’s mom.  After all, it wasn’t as though she was asked if she wanted to go, right?

Back in the water Kai swam out with a net.  Phil usually wasn’t this determined unless it was a big fish.  She scored enough for one meal, but it looked as though he was going to be out for a while longer.  Suddenly he popped up further than she expected with his Victory Song.  It was really a loud yell: all show-off Philly style fill-the-sky type yell.

She was right to have brought the net.  It was rather big.  He bagged the fish in the net and handed her the spear.

“I called him Sir Ernie.  See Kai, you are not the only fisher around!” he pulled hair and swam off with Sir Ernie.

Later that night after pictures were taken, Phil decided to unveil his fish in white wine broth.  All three of them gorged on it, along with the garlic bread that Gallia made earlier.  Phil brushed a stray grain of hair off of Kai’s face before turning his attentions back to the meal.  Kai didn’t notice, but Gallia did.  And she smiled a mother’s smile.

Copyright © 2012