Seize the Day

03

DELACROIX, LOUISIANA

Sam drove along the road and came upon the docks near sunset.

"This too, Mom?" a boy asked as he picked up a blue box.

"Yeah, all of it, baby," Sarah replied. "And we're taking that one to the soup kitchen. So, put that one over there."

Sam's truck pulled up and came to a stop before he said, "Blue for the snapper, orange for the whitefish." He opened the driver's door.

"Uncle Sam!" the older boy cried as both boys ran up to greet their uncle.

Sam got out of the car and closed the door. "What's up?" He high-fived the boys, giving them a little handshake.

"That's right!" Sarah replied. "Uncle Sam, you're back early." The boys walked away and Sam walked towards his sister. "What's goin' on? You got Mom's sneaky look on your face."

Sam picked up a fry. "How you gonna try to read me when you know I'm the one that reads you?"

Sam walked closer to the boat and said, "You gotta marvel at it. Baby being held together by duct tape and prayers."

"It'll be fine," Sarah told him. "It just needs to float long enough for me to sell it."

"I thought we were gonna discuss if we were selling it." He grabbed a basket and walked towards Sarah and set the basket down.

"We did. And then you were off fighting Doctor Space Cape or whatever while I was holdin' it together for five long years. Now that the world is going back to normal, this thing's gotta go."

"We grew up on this thing. It's not just Mom and Dad's name on it, Sarah. This thing is a part of our family." He went to pick up something else.

"You know the situation we're in. This is why I prefer not to dwell on it in front of everybody."

Sam stepped closer to her. "Well, what if we don't have to sell it?"

"Can I talk to you?" She moved closer to him.

"What's good, Big Sam?" a man asked.

"Oh!" Sam cried. "What's goin' on, man?" The man walked over and took the crate from him. "I'm trying to live like you."

"You know it." He chuckled.

"Off to save the world again?" an older man asked.

"Nah," Sam replied, putting a hand on the man's shoulder. "Come on, Carlos. I'm around here more than you. I'm always reppin' NOLA."

"When you gonna let me borrow the wings, man?" the first man wondered.

"As soon as you give my sister back that $100 you borrowed."

"That's cold. Now, loan me a hot $50."

Later that evening, Sam was on the boat.

Sarah, who was also on the boat, said, "Sam, the boat's gotta go."

"Wait," Sam protested.

"No, let me finish. I'm doin' everything I can to keep this business afloat. And every day I'm making $5, and spending $10."

"So, why won't you let me help?"

Sarah turned and pointed a finger at him. "No, don't start with that. We made a deal before Daddy died. You're out there. I do things my way here." She set down a couple crates.

"Right. But you tangled the house into this when you took those loans." Sarah glared at him, then punched his left arm and he groaned as she walked away. "Forgot how hard you hit. Sarah!" He followed her to a room and stopped outside the door, pointing a finger at her. "Look, and don't hit me again. What if you had the money to fix it up, make it nice so you can charter it when you're not out working the waters?"