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." The chair rocked violently, then slowed down."Only thing is, I kinda wondered, seeing her kite outa the car like that andyou standing there, sulling up.Sit down a spell.I'm Eli.Old Eli."Inexplicably, Crae sat down on the top step and said, "You're right, Eli.Plenty of trouble, but it's me not my wife.""Oh, that-a-way." The frowsy old head nodded."Yeah," muttered Crae, wondering dismally why he should be spilling his gutsto a busted-down old coot like this one."Jealous, crazy jealous.""Can't trust her, huh?" The chair rocked madly a moment, then slowed again."I can too!" flared Crae."Then what's the kick?" The old man spat toward the porch railing."Way Isee it, it takes a certain amount of co-operation from a woman before she cango far wrong.If you can trust your wife, whatcha got to worry about?""Nothing," muttered Crae."I know I've got nothing to worry about.But,"his hand clenched on his knee, "if only I could be sure! I know there's nological reason for the way I feel.I know she wouldn't look at anyone else.But I can't feel it! All the knowing in the world doesn't do any good if youcan't feel it.""That's a hunk of truth if I ever heard one," wheezed the old man, leaningacross his fat belly and poking a stubby finger at Crae."Like getting turnedaround in directions.You can say 'That's East' all you want to, but if itdon't feel like East then the sun goes on coming up in the North."There was a brief pause and Crae lifted his face to the cool pine-heavy breezethat hummed through the trees, wondering again why he was spreading his ownprivate lacerations out for this gross, wheezing, not-too-clean old stranger."Them there psy-chiatrists some say they can help fellers like you."Crae shook his head, "I've been going to a counselor for three months.Ithought I had it licked.I was sure " Crae's voice trailed off as heremembered why he had finally consented to go to a counselor."Bring a child into an atmosphere like this?" Ellena's voice was an agonizedwhisper, "How can we Crae, how can we? Anger and fear and mistrust.Never not until "And his bitter rejoinder."It's you and your slutting eyes that make 'thisatmosphere.' If I don't watch out you'll be bringing me someone else's child "And then his head was ringing from the lightning quick blow to his face,before she turned, blazing-eyed and bitter, away from him."No go, huh?" The old shoulders shrugged and the old man wiped one hand acrosshis stubby chin.Page 62 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"No go, damn me, and our vacation is ruined before it begins."""Too bad.Where you going? Big Lake?""No.South Fork of East Branch.Heard they've opened the closed part of thestream.Should be good fishing.""South Fork?" The chair agitated wildly, then slowed."Funny coincidence,that.""Coincidence?" Crae glanced up."Yeah.I mean you, feeling like you do, going fishing on South Fork.""What's my feelings got to do with it?" asked Crae, doubly sorry now that hehad betrayed himself to the old feller.What good had it done? Nothing couldhelp ever but still he sat."Well, son, there's quite a story about South Fork.Dunno when it started.Might be nothing to it." The faded eyes peered sharply through the glasses atABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlPage 59him."Then again, there might.""What's the deal?" Crae's voice was absent and his eyes were on the His andHers signs."I've been coming up here for five years now and I never heard anyspecial story.""Seems there's a fish," said the old man."A kinda special kinda fish.Notmany see him and he ain't been seen nowhere around this part of the country'ceptin on South Fork.Nobody's ever caught him, not to land anyway.""Oh, one of those.Patriarch of the creek.Wily eluder of bait.Stuff likethat?""Oh, not exactly." The rocking chair accelerated and slowed."This here one issomething special.""I'll hear about it later, Pop." Crae stood up.Ellena was coming back downthe path, outwardly serene and cool again.But she went in the side door intothe store and Crae sat down slowly.'They say it's a little longer than a man and maybe a man's reach around."The old man went on as though not interrupted."Pretty big " Crae muttered absently, then snapped alert."Hey! What are youtrying to pull? A fish that size couldn't get in South Fork, let alone livethere.Bet there aren't ten places from Baldy to Sheep's Crossing as deep asfive feet even at flood stage.What kind of line you trying to hand me?""Told you it was kinda special." The old man creased his eyes with agap-toothed grin."This here fish don't live in the creek.He don't even swimin it.Just happens to rub his top fin along it once in a while.And not justthis part of the country, neither.Heard about him all over the world, likely.This here fish is a Grunder swims through dirt and rocks like they was water.Water feels to him like air.Air is a lot of nothing to him.Told a fellerabout him once.He told me might be this here Grunder's from a notherdy-mention." The old man worked his discolored lips silently for a moment "Hesaid it like it was supposed to explain something.Don't make sense to me."Crae relaxed and laced his fingers around one knee.Oh, well, if it was thatkind of story might as well enjoy it."Anyway," went on the old man, "like I said, this here Grunder's a specialfish.Magic, us old-timers would call it.Dunno what you empty,don't-believe-nothing-without-touch-it-taste-it-hear-it-proof younguns wouldcall it.But here's where it hits you, young feller." The old finger wasjabbing at Crae again."This here Grunder is a sure cure for jealousy.All yougotta do is catch him, rub him three times the wrong way and you'll neverdoubt your love again."Crae laughed bitterly, stung by fear that he was being ridiculed."Easy to sayand hard to prove, Pop.Who could catch a magic fish as big as that on troutlines? Pretty smart, fixing it so no one can prove you're a ring-tailed liar.""Laugh, son," grunted the old man, "while you can.But who said anything aboutPage 63 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmla trout line? Special fish, special tackle
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