До Адама

           Thisangeredhim,andhegrabbedmesuddenlyandthrewmeonmyback.Ofcoursewefought,andintheendIchasedhimupatree,wherehesecuredalongbranchandpokedmeeverytimeItriedtogetathim.

           Andtheideahadgoneglimmering.Ididnotknow,andhehadforgotten.Butthenextmorningitawokeinhimagain.Perhapsitwasthehominginstinctinhimassertingitselfthatmadetheideapersist.Atanyrateitwasthere,andclearerthanbefore.Heledmedowntothewater,wherealoghadgroundedinaneddy.Ithoughthewasmindedtoplay,aswehadplayedinthemouthoftheslough.NordidIchangemymindasIwatchedhimtowupasecondlogfromfartherdowntheshore.

           Itwasnotuntilwewereonthelogs,sidebysideandholdingthemtogether,andhadpaddledoutintothecurrent,thatIlearnedhisintention.Hepausedtopointatthefarshore,andresumedhispaddling,atthesametimeutteringloudandencouragingcries.Iunderstood,andwepaddledenergetically.Theswiftcurrentcaughtus,flungustowardthesouthshore,butbeforewecouldmakealandingflungusbacktowardthenorthshore.

           Herearosedissension.Seeingthenorthshoresonear,Ibegantopaddleforit.Lop-Eartriedtopaddleforthesouthshore.Thelogsswungaroundincircles,andwegotnowhere,andallthetimetheforestwasflashingpastaswedrifteddownthestream.Wecouldnotfight.Weknewbetterthantoletgothegripsofhandsandfeetthatheldthelogstogether.Butwechatteredandabusedeachotherwithourtonguesuntilthecurrentflungustowardthesouthbankagain