The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.2004, Qupperneq 38

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 58 #4
“Well,” said Jimmy, “then how would
you know what they taste like? I heared
that they’s mighty fine if you eat 'em while
there still cold.” He peeked nonchalantly
out of the corner of his eye into the bucket
of worms the two of them had dug up fresh
this morning. “Those ones in the bucket
are pretty cold aren’t they?”
“Yeah,” Gary said, his suspicions
becoming more and more distinct.
“Well,” drawled Jimmy, “Why don’t
you go on ahead and try one?” Gary
looked at him, not knowing what to think,
his face giving away his feelings of disgust
and curiosity.
“I don’t think so,” Gary stated, his
voice rising an octave.
“Aw, c’mon Gary,” Jimmy said tor-
pidly. “Fish eat the worms and you eat the
fish. What’s the difference?” Gary sat
thoughtfully for a moment, pondering this
new insight.
“Yeah,” he said slowly, “I guess your
right. Gee Jimmy, I hope someday I get to
be as smart as you.”
“You’ll have to work real hard in
school,” Jimmy said seriously, pulling his
hat down over his eyes. “Now go on and
try one o’ them worms.” Gary eyed the
worms in the pail, stomach churning. He
swallowed hard, and then reached into the
bucket. Jimmy moved his head ever so
slightly so he could see out through a small
crack under his hat. Gary pulled up a long,
pink worm and raised it over his head. He
hesitated, and then squeezed his eyes
closed, opened his mouth, and lowered the
morsel into his gaping jaws. Jimmy sat up
Rev. Stefan Jonas son
ARBORG UNITARIAN CHURCH
GIMLI UNITARIAN CHURCH
9 Rowand Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3J 2N4
Telephone: (204) 889-4746
E-mail: sjonasson@uua.org
suddenly, his hat tumbling off his head. His
eyes were wide with curiosity and disbelief.
Gary sat still for a moment, his face a mix-
ture of illegible emotions, smacking his lips
loudly. Jimmy watched, fascinated.
Suddenly, Gary broke into a wide grin.
“You know Jimmy? You’re right.
Them worms ain’t so bad after all.” Jimmy
lay back down, resuming his air of indiffer-
ence.
“I told you so,” he said. They sat in
silence for a while, both digesting what
Gary had just done, Gary digesting it liter-
ally. Then the still surface of the water rip-
pled and Jimmy’s rod dipped. He sat up
straight, eyes bright. The reel clicked and
clattered as Jimmy towed in his catch. It
was a goldeye. Jimmy whooped and
hollered. Gary joined in half-heartedly,
disappointed that it wasn’t his fish. He
began to wind up his string.
“I’m done for today Jimmy. I’m never
gonna catch anything with this here twine
anyways.” Jimmy stopped suddenly, notic-
ing his friend’s empty pail. He reached out
to the goldeye on the end of his string, the
multi-coloured hook jutting out from its
mouth.
“Here you go Gary,” he tossed the fish
into Gary’s pail. Gary tried to protest but
Jimmy stopped him. “I’ve already got two
in my pail fer supper and I know how
much you like goldeye.” He winked and
cracked a smile. Gary grinned back at his
friend and slapped him on the back. They
started down the path that led to their small
cabins, joking and laughing. When they
reached the junction, they both came to a
halt, both not wanting to leave the other.
“You’re sure you’ve gotta go?” Gary
asked pleadingly.
“Yeah,” Jimmy sighed. “Dad says
there’s no money here for us. He says
we’ve gotta leave tomorrow, real early.”
You don’t have to go,” Gary rushed
on. “You could live with us you know.
We’d be like brothers.”
Jimmy smiled appreciatively at Gary.
“I wish I could Gary. Honest I do. But my
mum and dad need me. Who’s gonna take
care of mum when dad goes off to the lum-
ber camps if I’m not there?” He shook his
head gently. Gary’s eyes were shiny as his