The Dragon of Nottingham - The Fish Feeders

Isaac had gone off for a pee, so the dragon sat alone in the inflated wading pool and watched as the boy entered the house. Normally he'd have gone along. But not this time. The dragon had spotted something familiar at the bottom of the pool. He needed to investigate.
As soon as the boy was out of sight the dragon scooped up the toy dragon and puffed some of the water from its wings.

It was green with yellow spots on its brow and bore a resemblance to a number of dragons he had known at home. He held it close to his own brow and tapped it on its head. Nothing.
He then sniffed it from head to toe. Still no vital signs. And it didn't smell right, either. It didn't have that sweet and airy aroma that a real dragon possessed. He didn't know what to make of it.
Then it occurred to him. This must be the brave soul of a dragon who had gone before. Who had perhaps fallen from the sky at the hands of a bowman’s arrow or after losing a daring battle with an enemy dragon.

At the thought of it, the dragon draped Isaac’s towel around his lost comrade and flew off to what he supposed was an ideal spot for departed dragons.

When Isaac’s mom and dad came out of the house with refreshments they were greeted by the flapping of a beach towel heading off in the direction of the Nottingham canal.

“Now where do you suppose the towel’s gone off to?” said Isaac’s dad.

“That wasn’t just the towel, dear” said Isaac’s mom. “That was also Isaac’s new toy dragon. But the man at the store didn’t say anything about it flying. He just said it was non-toxic and came in a variety of colors. Just the right thing for a child with dragon fantasies. He didn’t say anything about batteries being required, either. How odd.”

When Isaac returned to the pool he was disappointed to discover that the dragon had left. He was hoping to show him his new snorkeling mask and explain to him the new sleeping arrangements now that the dragon seemed to be a permanent fixture around the house. After his pee break, Isaac had managed to rescue an old book carton that was meant to go out with the morning trash. It was just the right size for a sleepy dragon. So Isaac brought the box to his room and placed inside it an old piece of egg-crate foam he'd been saving. Then he covered the foam with his favorite red sweatshirt. He couldn't wait to see the expression on the dragon's face when he showed him his new bedroom. But now the dragon was gone.

II

The dragon had first noticed the Nottingham canal after he had lost his way  in the fog, which had been so thick you could scoop it up in your hands and make fog balls with it. When the sky finally cleared, the dragon noticed a body of water below and so he plunged in. It was a favorite past-time of dragons. But when he flew back out he noticed that he was no longer in the company of his clan. He was alone and directionless.  He’d always depended upon the others to get him to where he was going. Now he had no idea what to do next. It was then he first  saw the boy in the red hoodie.
Isaac and his dad were seated in high-back beach chairs and looking out over the water.

“Dad?”

“Yes?”

“Why aren’t we using hooks? Aren’t we supposed to be catching fish?”

“No, Isaac. I said we were going out to feed the fish. Not fish the fish.”

“Oh.”

Isaac’s dad had tied worms to the end of their fishing lines and plopped them into the water.

“There are plenty of fishermen out here catching fish, Isaac, but not enough fish feeders.  We’re unique, you and I. Probably the only one of our kind on the whole canal. You should feel proud.”

Sometimes Isaac didn't know what to make of his dad, but he knew he liked being with him, no matter what they were doing.

When the dragon saw the boy in the red hoodie he thought of home and his favorite nesting place. His nest was made of red vines and layered with ruby red leaves.
The dragon's first impulse was to nest. So it swooped down and nestled itself ever so lightly in the hood of the boy's sweatshirt and fell fast asleep.

"There's a cool breeze kicking up behind us, Isaac. You might want to slip that hood over your head."

"I'm warm as toast, Dad.”

“Really? I’m getting a bit chilled.”

When Isaac heard that, he got off his chair and climbed onto his dad’s lap for a hug.

“Wow, son, you really are quite warm. You sure you’re not getting a fever?”

“I feel fine, Dad.”

“Good. Now how about a sardine sandwhich? I'm starving.”