The two crabs

The two crabs

The sun was shining on a small beach in the south of Holland.
But still there was pretty much wind, while big waves came beating to the shore.
A lonely crab tried to keep himself in balance and needed to watch out for the gaps between the stones he walked upon.

After many hours he saw in the distance something waving, but it was to far away for him to recognise what it was.
First he thought it may be was a seagull that was hiding behind a stone to catch him if he would have arrived that point.

Of course it is better to be cautious than to be sorry, so he started to walk another path around the mysterious creature to get a closer view (Eyesight of crab are pretty bad).
It took a while before he got to a point that he could focus into that creature, and started to laugh inside when he noticed it was another crab sunbathing on collected seaweed.

The other crab noticed him and waved again to have a chat, because they were the only ones on that piece of seashore.
They shook their scissors and started to talk about what their purpose will be when fishing season would start in a short while.

The strange crab bragged about how he would get a king’s treatment because he had heard a couple of fisherman talk what they would do to the first crab of the season.
That’s why he was sunbathing in the open, so he would become the first that got caught.
It made him curious what the fisherman had said, so he asked: “What did the fisherman talk about? Because you WANT to be the FIRST crab of the season”

Then he started to talk and talk and his mouth was grinning of happiness all the time.
I would get the best treatment that a crab has ever known… even sit at the head of the table as honorary guest… I would be like a mascot and sail across the sea next to the captain’s seat… and meet my forefathers as they will look down from heaven and bless my good fortune.

He went on for hours and then he asked: “And what about you?”

Nothing….

He asked again: “Nothing?” (While started to laugh about it)

But the next answer would remain… and stop his laughter…
Yes I’ll maybe not do anything, but when the seasons over… I will still be ALIVE.

Then there was only silence and the sound of the wind and waves that started beating harder and harder to the stone they stood upon.

Continues…. (At least for one of them)

Aatos Beck © 06-11-2008.
Photograph: The two Crabs by Aatos Beck © 1990