Fish

"Monday and everyone saw Neoceratodus Australia 15 on the staffroom blackboard and wanted to know what it meant. A 15 year old Australian transfer student? The girls and I were excited about talking to an Australian boy, myself especially because English is my favourite subject. I'll have an advantage with him because my English is better than everyone else's. Maybe I'll be assigned to him as his escort. Hopes ascending, and destroyed by the vice principal, "Neoceratodus is just a fish from Aquamarine Fukushima." Evacuated after March 11th.

Tuesday morning and sit through four classes of easy nonsense but pretend to struggle because I just want to fit in. Lunchtime and I meet my Australian dream boy for the first time and he's four feet long, fifty pounds, slimy and ugly as Hell. Neoceratodus can't move in our little tank, apparently when placed in a bigger tank he still does not move though he could. Maybe there's some deeper meaning in that and I can almost see it but I'm too young and it's out of focus.

Wednesday and I visit Neocera and lean in close and look in his window and he lays not moving and unmoved and I see my reflection and I'm fading. We share the silence and I thank him for it. The other boys think volume and charisma are the same thing.

Thursday and Neo is going to Niigata. He's just another victim of March 11th and I'll remember him though he leaves us.

Some weeks later and I go to Aquamarine Fukushima. I meet Neo and he moves for me and I smile for him."