Pollen was thick on the surface of a mud puddle. It made little yellow patterns when the wind blew. Seemed like everything came alive when pollen fell. Even pecans were looking slightly green and big round bees hung lightly on their wings. Evaline had fresh corn to shuck, right off a truck from Georgia. Early corn was sweet all the way to the cob. A loud rumble from down the street was the only sound except wind and squirrels. She knew it was only old Henry revving up his boat motor to see if it still worked.
Once a year, he’d go out to his yard and fiddle around with it. It went to his oyster boat, which also sat in his yard.
Henry would tinker around with this, too, claiming he was going oystering this year for sure. Evaline halfway believed him, but only because he was so stubborn he probably would. She was a middle aged spinster, who did bookkeeping by day and tatting by night. She enjoyed making the little loops and knots. They were very precise, like her bookkeeping. In fact, she was working on a thick, tightly tatted beer can holder for Henry. Since he was never without a Natural Light in his hand, she figured on giving it a little class.
Henry was a born oysterman. He’d been on an oyster boat since childhood, but several years ago, an ‘episode’ had left him somewhat disoriented. He was still strong muscled, with a will to match. He had determined to go oystering again at least once, which would be quite a feat for an 80-year-old man. He lived in a well-kept trailer in a rundown neighborhood, with three loyal cats to keep him company. Evaline would walk down to visit him on weekends, and they would sit on his little porch and play checkers.
She was tall and bony with a mop of curly white hair that refused to be tamed, giving her a wild look, which she was not. He was short and thick, mostly muscle going to fat since he didn’t get around much anymore. There was no color to him, except for his piercing blue eyes. From his bald head to his shoeless feet, the first thing one would notice was those fearless sapphire orbs. It was a curious friendship. He was all wind and water, while she was solid and predictable. Still, they enjoyed each other’s company and maintained a running rivalry at the checker table.
Then, one Saturday morning, Evaline arrived at Henry’s house, only to find him loading up the boat and dusting off his tongs. “It was nice knowing you!” she smirked.
But Henry, undaunted, heaved his tongs into the boat, giving her a backwards look that would freeze a bobcat. “You might as well put on some jeans and come along!” he grinned, thinking she would do no such thing. But Evaline could not back down from a challenge from Henry.
“Pick me up in fifteen minutes!” she shot back.
So there they went, rattling along to the boat ramp. First of all, Evaline had to back the boat down, since Henry had lost his bearings along with the ‘episode’. Then, she had to crank the engine because Henry had forgotten how.
Pretty soon, they were tooling along, enjoying the fresh air and sea birds. “Well,” she asked him, ‘’are you gonna get us some oysters?” Henry picked up the tongs and managed to get them over the side of the boat before giving out. So Evaline grabbed them and proceeded to scrape the bottom a bit, finally hoisting them back into the boat with a few muddy clumps.
“Look! You got us a half a dozen!” Henry said happily.
By this time, they were hot and tired and ready to go home. Evaline got the boat back on the boat trailer successfully, while Henry opened a beer, and home they went. When Bob, the neighbor next to Henry, saw her backing the boat into the yard, he had to go see for himself if Henry had gone oystering.
“I got me some oysters, just like I said I would!” boasted Henry. Bob smiled to himself when he saw the six oysters.
“You always said you could still do it!” agreed Bob.
Meanwhile, Evaline had unhitched the boat trailer and had started hosing down the boat. “I ain’t done yet!” Henry went on.
“I got to admire your spunk!” added Bob enthusiastically. About that time, Evaline brought out a tray with their six oysters on the half shell, crackers, hot sauce, and a couple of Natural Lights. “By dern if those ain’t some pretty ones!” exclaimed Bob.
“Not bad for an old man!” bragged Henry.
Evaline rolled her eyes at Bob, who pretended not to notice.
