Eel

Many years ago, when I was about fourteen, I worked at a summer camp that was connected with a settlement house. The counselors were a group of high-minded, undertrained kids from a variety of backgrounds. One day, we were startled when a lovely young thing came back from a sortie to the stream that ran through one of the fields to proudly show off her catch, a gaggle of live eels. Knowing little, like the others, I refused to share the treat that she cooked up. Those of the readers who feel as I did then can stop reading this chapter here.