One day at the beach,

sitting on the sand,

and watching the surf

come in and go out,

I saw a fish emerge

from the ocean.

***

It flopped a bit,

seeming to catch its

bearings, then stood

upright and began

walking toward me!

***

It came within a foot or so —

then the fish, so says, says

he to me,

“Aye, m’boy, how mad is this?”

***

But before I could answer,

the fish flicked its tail,

sending bits of sand into

my eyes.

***

“Hey!” says I, squinting

through the sand.

***

A second later, and

the fish was headed

back to the surf.

***

He made good speed, too —

you can lay to that!

And all this, mind you,

despite the lack of

pedal extremities.

***

He needn’t have bothered,

though. The fish had

nothing to fear from me.

***

I wasn’t mad.

Just disappointed.

***

For it wasn’t evolution

I was witness to —

***

just some

dumb

fish

gag

.

---

2.

despite how it may appear our founder is not strangling this dog