Page 26, Line 26 by Richard Parmatatau

Inspired by Line 26, Page 26 of ‘On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft’ by Stephen King.

Or not

This particular tale undoubtedly owed a great deal to the killer ape with the goldfish bowl on his head.

Or not.

It was a mystery to the primate keepers how Alan, actually a squirrel monkey, who was a killer of lizards and frogs, had mistaken the goldfish bowl, which was mercifully empty, for a hat.

Alan, rescued as a tiny tot from illegal animal traders, was forever trying to escape – and very good at it.

On that particular day, known now as goldfish-bowl hat-day, he slipped from his enclosure after one of the keepers who opened a hatch to slip in some food, was distracted by chimpanzees hooting, and the other squirrel monkeys squawking in response.

Alan was off, quietly and deftly. He swung across the cage-access room going from wall hook to wall hook.

The primate cage-access room led to a cupboard that led to the fresh water fish access room. Zoos were like that; the back offices where the food was mixed, were interconnected to make it easy for keepers to go from one species to another.

Alan knew the layout, but had never ventured the fish access room – that door was normally shut.

Something caught his eye – the glint of light on glass, the bowls lined up on racks. Fish were no longer kept in bowls though they served as temporary homes when vet checks took place.

Alan who liked shiny items picked one – it was the perfect for a see-through hat. He carefully took it back the enclosure like a kid with fresh new treasure. Or not.

Richard Pamatatau