Daily Prompt: Fish

“I stand there waiting for Dad to say something about my tied shoes, how I’d done it all by myself without breaking a string. I probably could stand here all day waiting, but he doesn’t say nary a word. He’s got a newspaper to read. I don’t care. They’re my shoes, on my feet, tied my way.

We eat some beans and cornbread and Aunt Nolie stops chewing long enough to say, “Cono, yer Mom and Dad have business to attend to this afternoon and you need to stay here. Punk Squares is comin’ over and he’s bringin’ his son, Freezer. Yer gonna have somebody to play with.”

“What about Delma?”

“I cain’t watch her, so she’s gotta go with yer folks.”

I don’t ask Aunt Nolie why she can’t take care of Delma. I don’t complain about that good-for-nothing kid coming over. He’s younger than me and acts like a baby, always booger fishing and eating his catch. No, it’s best to stay on Aunt Nolie’s good side.”

Excerpt from No Hill for a Stepper.