Davie The Dolphin

Just off the coast lives a family of dolphins. Here they play and swim enjoying the spring weather and the sunshine. Davie the smallest, of the dolphin's has just learned to swim and play away from the family. His mother had warned him about the humans. "Stay clear of the humans. They have large pieces of wood that speed through the water. At the back of this wood is a sharp piece of steel that can kill you. Some humans are nice but, DON'T TRUST ANY OF THEM." Davie always did what his mother and father told him. They were older and much wiser to the dangers of the ocean.

Every morning Davie would swim around the bend to the beach. Here he would meet up with his friend Booker the SHARK. That's right a shark. Davie and Booker have been friends for a long time. Davie's parents disapproved because their enemy was sharks. But Davie and Booker were just kids. Kids don't know hate only play, and play they did. Their favorite game to play was hide and seek. In the ocean near the shore there was many rocks and reefs to hide in or under. It was safe here because the large pieces of wood wouldn't come near the rocks. It was their own private play ground.

One morning as Davie headed to meet his friend he came upon a piece of wood just sitting in the water. Amazed at it's large size the curiosity got the best of him. Davie slowly poked his head out of the water to see this piece of wood that was shinning in the water. The sun was just starting to rise and it reflected off the side of the wood. Davie couldn't believe this. He slowly swam along the side until he noticed a picture at the end of the wood. "Why, it's me! My picture is on the side of this wood." Just then a human slowly peeked above the side of the wood. Davie came straight out of the water standing on his tail as he began running and yelling in fright away from the wood. The human threw a fish in the air and Davie caught it just before he fell into the water.

Davie thought this must be a friendly human, it gave me food. Davie could hear the human talking but didn't know what it was saying. As Davie slowly swam back to the piece of wood he saw a lady leaning over the side talking with another piece of food. Slowly Davie approached the wood and popped his head out of the water. "Yak ak ak ak ak," Davie yelled. (That's -- Good morning friend in dolphin talk) The lady was laughing and smiling so Davie knew she had to be friendly. He moved closer to the wood to take the piece of food the lady had in her hand. As he did the lady leaned over and touched the top of his head. Well, Davie had just made a new friend. So it was time to show off, and show off he did. He jumped out of the water and spun around in circles. Then up on his tail as he moved backwards and gently fell into the blue ocean waters. Davie popped his head out of the water to look at his new friend and off he went to meet Booker.

Booker was waiting for Davie when he got there. "Where have you been? I've been here waiting forever," yelled Booker. "I met a new friend," replied Davie. "Ya ya come on lets go to the deep water and play," grumbled Booker. But something was about to happen that would change both of their lives forever. As they swam through the water they heard a sound. One which they have never heard before. The more they swam the louder the sound was. "What is that sound?" Davie whispered. "I don't know, it sounds like someone crying. Look a small whale straight ahead," yelled Booker.

As they swam up to the whale Davie said, "Hi my name is Davie and this is my friend Booker. Why are you crying?" The whale looked over at Davie and said,"my name is Melissa. There was a giant storm last night and the current took me away from my family." The water had turned a dark blue from the tears coming from Melissa's eyes. "Don't cry we'll help you find your family. They're probably out in the deep water. So don't cry." The little whale looked at Davie and thought what a friendly smile. As she looked at Booker she noticed how smooth his skin was, and how strong his body looked. She instantly fell in love with Booker the shark. "Thank-you I feel better now," whispered Melissa. As she started to smile, Booker looked over and said, "I can't go. Your parents won't like me." This was true, none of the parents in the ocean liked sharks. They kill their young. So Davie and Melissa said good-bye to Booker and headed for the deep water. As they swam they talked about anything and everything. They were becoming good friends.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home! Melissa yelled as her parents came in sight. "I want you to meet my friend, my hero, Davie. He showed me how to get back home." Melissa's parents praised Davie for his help. Davie stayed there all day talking and laughing with Melissa and her parents. But it was getting dark and Davie knew he better get home. So he said good-bye and off he went.

The next morning Davie went by to see his friend the human with the big piece of wood. There she was talking over the water calling out, "dolphin, dolphin, where's my little dolphin?" Davie popped his head out of the water and said, "Yak ak ak ak ak." (Remember that's good morning friend?) Once again she had food and once again he showed off. Flipping, and spinning around in the water. What fun Davie had with his new human friend. Then off to meet Booker to play again.

Davie had a surprise on this morning. Not only was Booker there but so was Melissa. "This is great, we can all play together," he thought. As they all met and said good morning, Melissa told of a fantasy play ground out in the deep water. So they all decided to go there. As they swam Davie asked Booker. "How far are we out Booker?" Booker replied, "About two miles. We have to be careful the next few miles, this is where the big pieces of wood travel. Many of my relatives have been hit by these pieces of wood and they never stop afterwards." So they were very careful until they were safe.

Melissa was right! This new playground was great. "Look at all the bright colors," Davie yelled. So they played here all day long. Then it was time for Booker and Davie to head home. They said good-bye to Melissa and began swimming home. As they swam Davie asked Booker, "What do you think of Melissa?" Davie saw the way Melissa looked at Booker all day long. She was in love with Booker, Davie could tell. "Oh she's all right I guess, she's just another female," Booker replied. Davie thought for a minute and then said, "Well I like Melissa, I like her a lot." Booker didn't seem to care he just kept on swimming. Day after day Davie would do the same routine. First play with the human friend and then Melissa and Booker in the fantasy play ground.

But this day was going to be one that he had never thought would happen. Davie stopped and played with his human friend. Nothing unusual about that. He met up with Melissa and Booker. Again, nothing unusual about that either. Their swim to go and play at the fantasy play ground was very different.

As they swam along laughing and joking they forgot just where they were. Davie yelled, "DIVE, DIVE DEEP." They all began to dive as deep and as fast as they could. Booker and Davie were much smaller than Melissa. She couldn't dive as fast as they could. They heard the large piece of wood go over the top of them as they dove down to deep water. Davie stopped and looked at Booker. "Where's Melissa" he cried? As they looked up they saw the piece of wood rolling over Melissa. "Melissa, Melissa, I'm coming," yelled Davie. As they swam closer Melissa was just laying there. Not moving at all. The water was turning dark blue so Davie knew Melissa was crying. Davie saw blood coming from Melissa's tail. He knew this would bring sharks. Not sharks like his friend Booker, but sharks that were not friendly. KILLER SHARKS! "Go get her parents, they can help us" Davie said to Booker. "Oh no I can't, they don't like or trust me. I better get home." Off Booker went. Booker knew what was about to happen and he didn't want any part of it.

Davie was there in the ocean alone with his dying friend. Melissa too knew what would happen when the sharks got the sent of her blood. "Leave me here Davie save yourself. You can't help me, there's nothing you can do go with Booker and go home." Then Davie got an idea! "I can save you and I will." Now Davie knew Melissa was five times bigger than him, and over five times heavier too. But he was in love with Melissa and there's nothing a dolphin won't do when it comes to saving the one they love.

Davie knew that high tide was coming later that night. His idea was to push Melissa to the beach around the bend from where he lived. If he had her tail pointing toward shore when high tide came, it would carry Melissa's tail right up on the beach and out of the water. Then the sharks wouldn't have any blood to smell. But the beach was far away and Melissa was very big for a little dolphin to push. It would take everything Davie had inside himself to get her there at high tide. There was also the sharks to deal with along the way. This would be almost impossible, but Davie knew he had to try.

Davie told Melissa what his plan was and that the human would help when the sun came up. Davie looked at Melissa and said, "What ever happens I want you to know that I love you Melissa." Melissa rubbed her head against Davie and said, "I should have known that you would be there when I needed help the most. I saw what was on the outside, instead of what was on the inside, I'm sorry Davie." Melissa was crying and the water was turning dark blue just as before. Davie knew there wasn't any time to lose. He looked at Melissa and asked,"Can you move your tail at all?" "No, I can't even feel it anymore."

Davie told Melissa to keep a watch out for sharks and he would do the rest. Davie knew that whales needed to get to the surface so they could get air. So the first thing he had to do was push Melissa up to the surface. It took some doing but Davie got Melissa up to the surface. Now the long journey to the beach. There must have been an Angle Fish watching over them. Night fall was coming, the beach was in sight, and no sharks. Davie was exhausted from pushing Melissa through the waves. Then, (like I said about the Angle Fish) the tide changed and it helped Davie push Melissa's tail up on the beach. Here they stayed all night long. Davie swam back and forth in front of Melissa on guard in case of sharks. Davie knew that just before sunrise the human would be at the big piece of wood. The lady human would help Melissa because she was his friend. Every now and then Davie would jump out of the water and land next to Melissa so the splash would keep her wet. This routine went on time after time all night long. How could the little dolphin find the strength to keep going? This was a miracle!

Now the time was here. Davie knew it was time to get the human, and none to soon. The tide was coming in again and Melissa's tail would be in the water. This would mean the blood from her tail would once again send out a sent to the sharks. Melissa was getting weaker and weaker. Davie looked into Melissa's eyes and said, "I have to go get the human now. I will swim as fast as I can, and get back as quickly as I can." He then kissed Melissa's check. Melissa was to weak to tell Davie how she loved him. She blinked her eyes to let Davie know she understood. This was a dangerous time for Melissa. No one to guard her and the waves were coming in fast.

Davie swam as fast as he could to the spot where he always met the lady. There is was the big piece of wood. Now Davie was excited! He jumped out of the water and splashed the side of the wood. But no one came. He jumped and splashed again this time landing water on top of the wood. The lady came running. Now to get her to follow him. Davie saw a rope hanging from the wood. He went over to it and started pulling it with his mouth. The lady knew this wasn't like Davie to do this. She yelled, "do you want me to follow you somewhere?" Davie went straight up in the air waving his head up and down. The lady ran to the back of the wood and Davie heard the motor start to run. Davie swam heading for the beach where Melissa laid. The wood was right behind him.

As Davie got close to the beach he saw shark fins headed for the beach. Davie had given all he could already. But he wasn't going to let the sharks get to Melissa without a fight, and fight he did. The lady saw Melissa on the beach and knew that the little friend of hers was trying to save it's life. As the piece of wood ran up on the beach the lady grabbed a rife and started shooting at the sharks. But there was so many of them, and Davie was fighting two and three of them at a time. Many shots were fired before the sharks went away. Some of the sharks were bleeding and the other sharks attacked them. No where could the lady see Davie. She ran to her piece of wood and made a call for help. Then over to Melissa. The water started turning dark blue as the lady stood guard in front of Melissa. Melissa feared Davie had died saving her life. Then Davie came to the surface next to the lady and Melissa. He was hurt bad. Cuts and bites all over his body. He wasn't moving, just floating with the tide. The lady went to Davie and sat there in the water holding him in her arms. Her tears were now dropping into the ocean mixing with Melissa's. "What have they done to my little dolphin" she cried? Yes, Davie died that morning. The same kind of mornings he used to play with the lady. But Davie saved the life of his friend, the same friend he had fallen in love with.

Help came and took Melissa and they did care for her. Because one year later on this very same beach the lady was there to say good-bye to Melissa. You see she was well now and they wanted her to find her family again.

It's said that if you find this beach, and it's in the early spring. Just before sun rise the water will turn a dark blue. You can hear a whale off in the distance. It's Melissa remembering the dolphin that was there when she needed someone most. A dolphin that loved her so much that he gave his life for her. Her friend, her love, Davie!

Reprise:

The message in this story I've seen many times with us humans. The shark is always noticed for what he looks like. The dolphin is never noticed for what he is inside. I have always been.........and always will be.........A DOLPHIN!

Panama Chuck!
2/10/99
4:15AM

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