Somewhere between Calimesa and Big Bear is a lake in the San Bernardino Mountains where Franciscan friars may have cooled their feet, then blessed the water. Phyllis bragged about how divinely easy it was to catch the fish. Her mission was to lure, to cast and reel, to bring slender bodies to a fat table. Chuck just chuckled, wouldn’t lie or verify, as a smoke line swam upstream from the ass end of his cigarette.

It was a private burial, Chuck and his daughter dumping ashes into the lake. Fish nibbled at the remains. He called it “The heavenly spot where Phyl loved to fish.” It was as far from Hell as he could deliver her. He fell back into silence with Japanese soldiers thrusting bayonets into the jungle undergrowth, gagging on bug and rodent species that he believes will someday be discovered. Chuck Alzheimered and died. The daughter is a bitch by choice. The lake is still only a spot.

A clattering single-engine Cessna flies straight up until the engine nearly stalls, then plummets toward the ground. At the last second it pulls up and skims a few feet over the pine trees, scattering the scrub jays. There is a village, perhaps Angelus Oaks or Running Springs, then a lake nearly navy blue in color where fish the size of porpoise swim inches under the surface. There is a cow standing up to its knees in the water, we fly close enough to touch. Its brown eyes wink—the eyes of my mother. This is where she is buried. The plane climbs at the edge of the village limits. The jays follow, as though they have the enemy on the run. Their wings obscure the green sign, the village name a secret beneath the blue-gray feathers.

Morning light strafes the edges of the blinds, lays another empty runway across my face.

Steve Meador has been fortunate to find his work included in several journals, including Loch Raven Review, Boston Literary Magazine, Autumn Sky Poetry, Umbrella, Word Riot, Flutter, Unfettered Verse, Thick With Conviction and others. Pudding House Publications has released two of his chapbooks, Pack Your Bags and A Good Sharp Knife. Steve can be contacted at: steve@homesonly.com

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