He needed nothing for Christmas
but fishing was in his blood

Just to feel the sea breeze
the smell of the water
the pull on the line

The last time he was able to fish
he caught nothing
except the memory of a sad stray cat
that ate the leftover bait he threw to it

I’m not doing that again he said
but I knew better

Today he went again
and caught a mangrove snapper
then slowly savored it
baked in lemon butter

He was renewed
a present he actually needed

A simple man
with a deep sense of belonging