Recreation
Day
The
company I worked for organized a recreation day for its staff. The
occasion took place in a rented villa by the sea. The program included
musical performances and various games. Altogether fifty people were
present.
After
the welcoming drinks we were directed to a garden, where we were divided
into groups. A quiz competition followed.
The
competition was hard. The questions were not restricted to any certain
topic. It was impossible to predict whose team was going to get the
answers right.
The
questioning and answering had lasted for some time, when the host
announced that the next question would be the last. It was a critical
moment, since the team to get this question right would win the entire
competition.
"The
moment of truth has arrived. All teams ready?"
"Sure."
"What about the others? Nervous already?"
"We're ready."
"Right. The question is: You all see a fishing boat in the sea.
In the boat the fishermen are about to lift a particularly large catch.
Now tell me, what kind of a fish are they going to get:
a) pike
b) perch
c) shark
d) whale?"
All
eyes were focused on the sea. Some used binoculars, some ran to the
beach to see better. The vessel, only 20 metres off the shore, swayed
at the weight of the catch. For a while it looked like the line was
about the snap. The creature fought back vehemently. The fish was
under water until slowly a big fin became visible, creating large
swirls in the surface. A moment later a huge, dark head appeared,
gasping for air.
The
competitors squinted their eyes to see better while the fishermen
continued pulling the fish. The tail splashed a rush of water on the
deck. Soon the fish was completely out of the water.
The
competitors were preparing to shout their answers, but they had difficulties
reaching unanimous conclusions: for a pike the fish was too fat; for
a perch the fish was too big; there were no sharks so far up in the
north; and the fish didn't look like a whale either. In fact the fish
was incredibly ugly. It was dark grey, almost black - a wrinkled and
hideous-looking beast. With its large, expressionless eyes it looked
around, gasping for air.
Even
if the creature looked like a fish, I suggested, it was still possible
that it was a baby whale lost from its usual regions. The suggestion
sounded convincing, so our team shouted, "WHALE!"
"A
whale has been suggested," the host commented. "Any other
answers?"
"SHARK!" was the reply from the shore.
"Perch!" was heard too.
"Did I hear perch?" the host asked. "Yes, perch is
the right answer. That team over there is the winner. A big applause
for the winners!"
While
people applauded, I had a closer look at the creature. Even if it
was an exceedingly ugly specimen, it had the same colours as perch.
Incredulous I wondered aloud, "How on earth can such a monster
be a perch?"
The
host heard my musings and clarified, "The fish is indeed a perch.
This individual is more than sixty years' old. It's the biggest fish
ever caught in these seas. They tried to catch it for years. Now the
hunt is over and that's as it should be. You see, this fish was an
unusually cunning beast. For decades it kept hiding in the hollows
it had dug in the sandy bottom. From these dungeons it hunted for
food, swallowing fish and other creatures passing by. But over the
years it became fat and greedy, unsatisfied by the usual catch. During
its final years the brute had started preying ducks and other animals
that happened to bypass his territory. Particularly in the summer
the monster caused terror in the beach, even if few people ever saw
the fish."
The
explanation sounded amazing, but now I understood where all the local
cats and dogs had disappeared. A team member of mine commented that
also babies and small kids were reported to have gone missing around
the area.
As
the fishing boat came to a halt in the pier, the host announced that
after the quiz it was time for the climax of the evening - the dinner
banquet with music and dance afterwards.
Walking
towards the villa I noticed how hungry I was. I asked whether anybody
knew what was the main course. The answer came as a shock: fillet
of perch, of course.
