Day 116: 5 Minute Freewrite: Monday-Prompt: canal

"I am the oldest of 7 siblings and when we were all very young, we lived in the only house that was along Fishers Canal. Back then, all of the small fishing boats had to go down the long canal before they docked and we happily greeted them every day. There was one boat that we were especially happy to see. It was Captain C's boat with 3 of his crew, and they were just as happy to see us. One day Captain C. stopped and handed me a bucket of fresh fish, and told me to give it to my mother. Her face lit up like never before and she stood tall, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. The next day my mother thanked him with a warm loaf of homemade bread. From that day forward, Captain C. and his crew stopped by 3 times a week. Their treasures from the deep waters were traded for my mother's treasures from her kitchen. Home-made pies, tarts, cakes, rolls and bread were traded for fish, crabs, shrimp and oysters. My siblings and I watched as the fisherman's faces grew old, and they watched all of us grow up; healthy and strong. Thanks to them, my mother never had to worry how she would feed her 8 children, and all of us had a delicious, nutritious meal every day. His loving, un-shell-fish soul lives on through "Captain C. Food."