I’ve always believed in the good fortune that follows those that tend to Koi.

That’s right, Koi.

There is this old Asian legend (not too sure which kind of Asian, though I believe it began with the Japanese) that states that good fortune follows the saintly people who tend to the care and feeding of Koi. I had heard this legend as a boy, and it sounded like a good idea, after all who couldn’t use a bit of good fortune?

Mister Hodge was a fortunate man indeed.

He owned two used car lots, had a lovely house on Sycamore Street, a petite younger wife, three daughters, a Doberman pincher and the most pristine fish pond you would ever lay your eyes on. What made it more amazing was the fact that this was a natural pond and not some man made monstrosity.

In Texas, this was nothing short of a miracle. Natural water in Texas normally comes in two colors brown and tan, and here was Mr. Hodge’s fishpond with the crystal blue waters of the south pacific.

Suffice it to say, it was mesmerizing.
The way that pond glistened as sunlight caught it on an August day, was enough to drag you from 4 blocks away with but a twinkle in the air.

Which is exactly what it had done to me.

I was out riding my bike that afternoon when a sparkle of light caught my eye, it was hovering over the horizon and it blinded me for a moment and caused me to wobble. I quickly placed my feet down off of the pedals, and planted them firmly on the pavement as I tried to figure out exactly what I was seeing.

To describe it, I can only say it was a light misty fog that seemed to be forged of diamonds. Rainbows of color dashed around brilliant white hues, all cascading together in a brilliant mirage that left you wondering just what the heck it actually was.

The illusion was a bit lower than I had originally thought when it first caught my eye in fact it seemed to be hovering over a house not that far away. I followed it as if it were a star in the east and I were a proverbial Magi.

When I reached the privacy fenced enclosure that surrounded Mr. Hodge’s property I did what any curious child would do, I climbed the fence.

There it was, simply mesmerizing.
Enthralled, I went to the water’s edge and stared deep into its depths. Within moments I was greeted by a bright yellow fish head that scurried up the side of the pond and out of the water so quickly it was almost in my lap.

I jumped back in fright as I watched my aquatic mugger flop himself back into the water. Within mere moments after Big Un-mellow yellow came jumping out of the pond, a blue speckled fish with black and red spatter marks was doing dolphin like pirouettes across the top of the pond.

I watched with amazement, as the pond teemed with life. They cavorted on the lily pads, and flopped along the shore. They jumped, they dashed through the water, splashed and flashed their colors so bright… and on top of that, they oinked.
They climbed onto the edges of the bank and oinked like little pigs… they clamored on top of one another, and oinked even louder. They pushed each other further than the embankment and still their little piggy cries were still louder.

“They think you are going to feed them,” said Mr. Hodge.

Mr. Hodge had snuck up behind me while I had been blinded by the spectacle these little pigfish had performed for me before he had spoken.

He caught me before I almost stumbled into the pond with shock at hearing his voice.

He could have been mean; after all I had climbed over his fence without his permission. Instead he was kind, and was glad to see a boy being a boy.

He invited me to come and look at his fish whenever I wanted, provided I promised never to fish in his pond. I agreed immediately, however the neighborhood cats did not.

Mr. Hodge battled the neighborhood cats with a vengeance. He even bought a thoroughbred Doberman in hopes of deterring their feline curiosity. Sadly being a thoroughbred Doberman, sometimes those recessive traits bite back. Simply put Harley was deaf, and those cats kept plucking Koi from Mr. Hodge’s pond night after night.

As his Koi dwindled so did Mr. Hodge’s life.

He lost one of his car lots to his now ex-wife… she also got the kids, and she moved them all back to her mother’s house in Connecticut. His other lot was seized by the government due to back taxes. He had nothing left to live for, other than his now rather murky fishpond, with only three Koi left within.

Either they were too big for the cats to deal with, or there was something rather special about these fellows. I’d like to believe it was the later.

Mr. Hodge still tended to these three with great care, and though his life was far different now he still had joy on his face every time he tended to his Koi.

“I’ve always believed in the good fortune that follows those that tend to Koi,” he told me as we mucked out the south side of the pond while our three friends gently nibbled at our toes.

“Isn’t that some kind of Japanese legend?” I asked him.

“Well it’s an Asian legend at least,” he said with a smile.

I watched Mr. Hodge tend to his pond with the diligence of a tender lover.

He sifted the dirt from the pond, and as you already know we mucked it thoroughly, and in due course the pond was crystal clear again.

Within a few years, Mr. Hodge had developed a new life for himself. I can’t rightly say if he had a better life or not, only Mr. Hodge can say for sure and he passed away some time ago.