Chapter The End

That afternoon after school, Hua removed the skunk from the jar and stuffed it into his backpack.  The children begged him to bring the animal again on show-and-tell day, but Hua told them he had decided to release the skunk because it was not right to keep a wild animal caged.

Along the path to his house, Hua stopped. He knelt on one knee and gently lifted the docile skunk from his backpack.  He set it down on the ground as if it were glass. The animal crouched, but did not attempt to run away.

“Well, Peafish, how was your day?”

Amazingly, Peafish kept his council, and even looked remorseful – as far as a skunk could make its furry face remorseful, that is.

“Squirrel got your tongue?” teased Hua.

Still no response.

“Oh, I know, you’re useless without your baseball bat, is that it?” said Hua.

Peafish heaved a sigh.  “I’m sorry.”

Peafish’s apology was muffled.

 Hua jiggled his ear and inclined his head.  “Pardon?” he said.

“I said I was sorry . . .”

“Sorry? For what?”

“For all the pain and distress I caused you.”

Hua smiled. “That’s okay, Peafish. I won’t hold it against you.”

“You won’t?” Peafish was surprised.

“No one can change the past,” answered Hua, surprised at his sudden wisdom.

“And I won’t bully you or anyone else again.”

“You’ve made promises like that before, Peafish.  Only, you never kept them.”

“I’ve changed.  Please, make me human again and I’ll show you I’ve changed.  Please, Hua, I beg you.  If I’m lying, you can change me into a skunk for show-and-tell day.”

Peafish’s plea pulled at Hua’s heartstrings.  It was the first time Peafish had called him by his proper name. Hua’s heart filled with compassion. He blinked his eyes.  In a flash, Peafish was his normal size again. 

Peafish stared at Hua, his eyes wide, his mouth hanging open.  He examined his hands and felt about his body.  He burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny?” asked Hua.

“For a moment there I thought I was a skunk, imagine that,” said Peafish, but there was no malice in his voice.  He looked long and hard at Hua, his face softening.  “I’ve decided not to persist in bullying you, Hua.  You’re a good kid.  I want to be your friend.”

Short of saying ‘I’m sorry’, Peafish was trying to make amends for his past behavior. “Well, what d’you say? Friends?” He stuck out his pudgy hand.

Hua studied Peafish. Slowly, he nodded his head. “Yeah, alright. Friends…but you’ve gotta write your own story…for tomorrow.”

“Eh?’ said Peafish, his face serious. “But I thought you were…” He laughed then. “Just kidding, Hua, just kidding. I got one heck of a story to write. It will blow your mind.” Peafish stuffed his hands into his pocket. “Me a skunk and all!” he said under his breath. “Hey, Hua, what’s that book I saw in your backpack?”

“Which one?” Hua knelt down and peeled open his bag, spilling his books onto the ground. “Which one, Peafish?” He scattered the books with his fingers.

“That one,” said Peafish, kneeling beside Hua. “That black one…hey, there’re two…”

Hua squinted as he read the small print.  “Holy Bible…they’re not mine!  I haven’t seen them before, except…” they look like the book Granny read from the night before, he thought.  Only hers was much bigger and older.  Could Granny have put them into his bag?

Peafish flipped open the book. His eyes latched on to a verse. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” he read aloud. “Do you know what that means, Hua?”

The only explanation Hua could think of was the story about the lost sheep.  “Yeah, it’s probably talking about a shepherd and a lost sheep. You know, if a shepherd misplaces a sheep, he would go search for it, wouldn’t he? It’s like laying down his life for the sheep, see.”  That would have to do until I can ask Granny, thought Hua. All the same, he felt happy about being able to explain a verse just like Granny.

“Oh,” said Peafish, closing the book, but not understanding. “Hua, may I borrow it?”

“Sure, go ahead,” said Hua, “keep it if you like.”

“Thanks. Well, bye, friend.  Gotta go. Have a writing assignment to do.  Plus I wanna read this book before I sleep.  Bye.” A man lays down his life for a sheep! That puzzled Peafish.

Long after Peafish left, Hua still dawdled, half-hoping that The Man would appear so that he could tell him about his latest episode with Peafish, and about the mysterious appearance of the Bibles in his backpack.  Hua would have tried to locate the spacecraft, but he couldn’t quite remember where it was parked. He closed his eyes and mumbled words he had heard his granny say when she couldn’t find something, hoping The Man would appear.  Eventually, Hua gave up. Hugging his backpack, he began a slow walk home.  He wondered if Peafish really meant what he said about being his friend.

Hua didn’t hear the snapping of twigs behind him.  When he neared the path leading to his house, someone touched his shoulder.  Thinking that Peafish had changed his mind about being his friend and had followed him to launch a surprise attack, Hua spun around, his free arm raised in defense.

“Whoooa . . . it’s only me, lad,” said The Man, pulling back slightly.

“You came!” Hua was delighted.  He dropped his backpack and for the first time, wrapped his arms around The Man’s waist.  “Thanks for coming.  I have much to tell you about today.”

“I already know,” replied The Man, a twinkle in his eyes.

Hua grinned.  “I should have guessed…and the Bibles? Did you make them appear in my bag?”

“No, that was your granny's doing. All the questions you’ll ever ask are answered in that book.”

“All questions? Like math and science, and fishing and…”

The Man smiled. “About life in general, Hua.” He cleared his throat. “I see you’ve found your gift and purpose, too.”

Hua nodded. "I think I have, but I’m not sure. Pity I had to change Peafish into a skunk."

“Some cases are difficult, but there are other methods you could have tried first.”

“You mean there’s more I can do?”

The Man nodded. “You’ll learn…study the Bible.”

Hua tilted his head. “The Man, how will I know what I’ll be when I grow up?”

"What you’re destined to be will not let you rest," said The Man.

Hua thought about that.  “Do you mean that if, for example, I’m supposed to be a teacher, and I decide to be a farmer, the teacher inside me will be unhappy?”

“Something like that.”

“And I would be unhappy if I don’t listen?” asked Hua.

“Something like that.”

“But if I really, really don’t want to listen, then what?”

“You’ll feel unfulfilled and not understand why. Perhaps you would roam from job to job, searching for that inner fulfillment, until one day you stumble into teaching.”

“And I would become happy inside?”

The Man nodded.

Hua thought about the burning in his heart when his granny read and explained the story about the lost sheep.  Then he thought about the way he felt when he tried to explain to Peafish about the man giving up his life for his friend. Yes, he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. He looked at The Man.

“Maybe one day I’ll be able to explain the Bible like my granny,” said Hua. “Do you think that’s my destiny?”

The Man raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “You…” began The Man, but Hua’s Granny’s voice interrupted him.

“Hua, if you are out there, bring a head of lettuce from the garden, will you?” she called.

“Gotta go,” said Hua, breaking into a jog.  “Tell me next time I see you, ok?”

Perhaps, thought The Man. The boy was on his way to finding his destiny!

            The Man walked off satisfied. His job was done.

            Are you wondering about The Man’s identity? Well, did not the boy’s heart burn when his granny read him the story about the lost sheep? Did yours? Then by now, you should have figured out the answer! If you have, send me a message!  God Bless!

           That’s All, Folks!