Scotty looked around the boat, touched by the day’s events but even more so by Paul’s comments. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Everyone seemed to be in a state of shock and silent self-reflection. The only sound was the humming of the engine as the boat cut through the waves. When Scotty had packed up for this trip this morning, he had thought about the best-case scenario and the worst-case scenario. The best: Paul would be a completely changed person from high school, be a joy to hang out with, and this trip would be the start of rekindling an old friendship. The worst: He’d be exactly the same as he had been and it would be the worst day in fishing history. But this trip was turning out to be dramatically different than Scotty had expected. The best and the worst cases both had happened on the same day. Paul wouldn’t leave as the same man he had been when he boarded.

Scotty noticed that Brittany was tracing the outline of her shark tooth necklace, which meant that whatever thoughts were running through her mind were bothering her. Scotty figured she felt bad about being judgmental and a little too tough on Paul. Brittany and her mom struggled with their emotions from time to time, and she knew it.

Scotty realized he hadn’t checked his phone all day, which he often saw as a good sign that he was being intentional and productive. He had a missed text from CiCi asking how the trip was going, but what stopped him in his tracks was seeing the date. His stomach dropped for a second, and then he smiled. Tomorrow is Drew’s birthday, Scotty thought, and took a deep breath. How perfect, how coincidental, how crazy was it that he was here, in the middle of the ocean, teaching Drew’s lessons the day before his birthday? He suddenly felt bad for leaving CiCi at home, and wanted to get back to her to hold her. Tomorrow is going to be rough for her; it’s rough for all of us, he thought. He tucked his phone back in his pocket and looked out over the water. “It’s Drew’s birthday tomorrow,” he said out loud. He heard Brittany gasp. She covered her mouth with her hands and Scotty noticed the sadness in her eyes.

“I can’t believe I forgot!” she said, clearly feeling guilty.

“You didn’t forget. It’s tomorrow. We’re good,” he said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“We need to get back home to Mom,” she said quietly. Scotty squeezed her shoulder and nodded.

“That means tomorrow is also the anniversary of another big milestone,” Scotty smiled. “CiCi and I had been dating for almost three years, and I knew she was it for me almost from day one. I had known the moment I punched the guy in the face at the Boys and Girls Club. Or the day after my adventure through the woods. I knew by the way my heart skipped every time she showed up for lunch, and how it sank when she didn’t come. As I learned more and more about what it meant to be a shark, I found myself wanting to be a shark not just for me, but for her. To be the one who added value to her life, who took her where I was going, who fought for her, supported her, and gave her everything I had because she gave me so much.

“CiCi had mentioned that she was going last-minute shopping with her mom for a birthday present for her dad, so I knew that I had a small window of time to head over to Drew’s house and have the conversation. I traded my ripped jeans for the one pair of khakis that I owned and found a navy blue polo tucked in the back of the closet. I practiced what I was going to say the entire drive over, and took a deep breath as I got out of the car. The grandeur of the large estate never ceased to impress me: the gorgeous arches and columns, the sweeping front porch, the large windows, the perfectly landscaped yard. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants and knocked on the door. Drew opened the door and wrapped me in a hug, welcoming me into the living area.

“‘A birthday surprise!’ Drew smiled, motioning for me to take a seat. I immediately felt foolish for not showing up with a gift. Drew fell into his favorite leather recliner, muted the TV, and swiveled to face me.

“‘What’s going on?’ Drew asked with a smile. ’Just coming to hang out with your favorite old guy on his birthday? Can I get you a drink?’ I accepted, jumping on any opportunity to stall the conversation. Drew came back with a glass of soda that was still fizzing and reclaimed his spot.

“‘So what are you going to do for your birthday?’ I asked, trying to sound casual.

“‘Woke up, went for a run, had breakfast with the girls, went for a swim, called my mom. They went out shopping and I was napping …’

“‘Oh, sorry! I can go!’ I said, embarrassed for just popping in.

“‘Stop it. It’s fine, I’m glad you are here. You okay?” he asked, a little more serious this time.

I took a deep breath. Facing the fear is faster, I thought.

“‘Drew. I love CiCi,’ I started. As a dad, I know now that Drew knew at that moment exactly what I was there for. But as a dad, you gotta make the guy squirm a little, right? So he sat there, expressionless, and let me ramble through my speech.

“‘I come from nothing. I come from a mess and bad decisions and pain and darkness. But darkness is overcome by light, and the moment I first saw CiCi, it felt like the first time I had ever seen light. It was like seeing her made me understand what hope was. From the moment I met her, I wanted to be a better person for her. To make her proud. To make her happy. I can’t picture my life without her. The things you’ve taught me, about being a shark, I take them and apply them so that I can be a shark for her. I want to be the one who fights for her, who supports her, who takes her where she is supposed to go. I want to be the one who protects her, who encourages her, who adds value to her life. I’m here today because I’d like your permission to ask CiCi if she would give me the honor of being her husband,’ I said, finally breathing.

“Drew was silent—again, another classic dad move that you earn the right to after raising a daughter. When I had played out this scenario in my head, he had jumped up and hugged me and and said yes and we shared a toast and went out to play some golf. That is not what happened. He sat there, ran his fingers through his beard. He smiled at me, but looked away, lost in thought. I can’t even imagine what that moment was like for him. I know one day it’ll be me and it is something I won’t be prepared for. Finally, he said something.

“‘What do you notice?’ he asked, ‘About CiCi—what do you notice when you really see her? Not when you look at her, but when you see her?’ he asked, seriously.

I wasn’t ready for questions. I thought for a second and then responded, “‘I see a giver. A selfless, patient, honest, independent, giving person who thinks about others before she thinks of herself. Someone who encourages other people; she makes people feel valued and heard and important. She loves fiercely,’ I said, wondering if I should keep going.

“‘As a father,’ he said, looking deep into my eyes, ‘it is my job to protect my daughter at all costs. When it comes to her, I would move mountains. I would give her my last breath. I would kill anyone who hurt her and do the time with a smile on my face. I know her. Like, know her, know her. And boy do I love her,’ he said, glancing up at the framed pictures of younger CiCi on the wall.

“‘The second the doctor puts your daughter in your arms, you understand your purpose. You understand your sole responsibility is to create a world where she feels safe, valued, loved, powerful, and capable. As a father, you know there will be a day when a boy realizes what you’ve known about your daughter for her entire life: that she is remarkable, irreplaceable, and a true gift. And you wonder what you’ll do and say when that boy comes knocking, promising the world to the one person you would die for.’ His voice cracked, and he looked back at me. I was so nervous. It was quiet for a while, but he continued. I didn’t quite grasp what he was saying then, but when I became a dad to a daughter myself, I got it,” Scotty said, choking up. Brittany got up and rubbed his back.

“Drew went on. ’As I held that seven-pound baby in the hospital, as I twirled her around on my feet in her princess dress the night before her first day of kindergarten, as I watched her turn into the incredible woman that she is today, there is no way I could have expected, hoped, that she would find a man like you. I knew she loved you a long time ago, and the only thing a man wants is for his daughter to find someone who sees who she truly is. And I know you do. I would be honored to have you as my son-in-law. Yes, yes, one hundred times yes, you have my permission to marry CiCi!’ he said, wiping the tears from his eyes and jumping to his feet. I stood, and the tears came, and I fell into him like a little boy falls into his father. Drew put his hand on the back of my head and I wept into his shoulder. I wept for the dad who wasn’t healthy enough to be there for me, for the woman I loved more than my own life, for this new father who saved me from who I might have become,” Scotty said, looking over at Brittany, who was laughing and bawling at the same time, the way she always did when Scotty told this story. It still got her every single time.

“He told me, ’Scotty, God is good.

You are the son I lost. God eased the pain and filled the void in my heart. You will not be my son-in-law, you will be my son-in-love.’

“So we got it together: We did actually have a toast, and then I left because I knew the girls would be home soon from shopping. I shook Drew’s hand as he walked me out and then I drove straight to my dad’s house. My dad’s truck wasn’t in the driveway, and I was relieved. I walked straight in, gagged at the sight of old food in the sink, and went right back to my dad’s bedroom. Beer bottles littered the floor, the room smelled like a mixture of marijuana and urine, and I was careful not to touch anything. I threw the laundry off the dresser and onto the floor to uncover a small wooden jewelry box. Years of dust and dirt made it a little hard to open, but when I got it open, it took my breath away. It still smelled like mom’s old perfume, and her favorite little ladybug earrings were lying front and center. There were necklaces tangled together and a few dangly bracelets that I moved aside. I lifted the entire middle section to expose a hidden storage area underneath, and saw the ring right away. The simple silver band was shinier then I remembered, and the diamond on top seemed too flashy for Mom’s style. But there was no doubt—this was it. I remembered watching my dad slide it off her finger at the funeral. I put the ring in my pocket, closed the jewelry box, and ran out of the house.”

Paul thought about what Drew had said about how becoming a father helps you redefine your purpose. He had never thought of it that way before; he had always thought that being a dad was something that happened to him, a milestone that happened as a result of too much alcohol, a swanky hotel room, and a lot of lust. He became a dad because that is what you become when your wife got pregnant. But he realized now that being a dad isn’t something that happens to you, it is something that you choose to become. You may not get to choose to be a father, but you one hundred percent choose to be a dad. And for the past twenty odd years of Zach’s life, I didn’t choose to be a dad. I never felt that pull to protect someone, to look out for the best interest of someone regardless of the cost. I never had someone who I would move mountains for, who I truly cared for above myself. . . . Paul’s mind was spinning.

The way Drew talked about CiCi, the way Scotty feels about Brittany, I’ve only felt those things about myself, Paul thought, sinking back into guilt and shame. Paul looked over at Scotty and tried to understand what Drew meant by not just looking at someone, but truly seeing them. He stared at Scotty and felt a tinge of jealousy. Scotty was eloquent, intelligent, funny, a good listener, a great storyteller. He was humble, a doting father, a loving husband, a hard worker, a successful business guy. Everything that I pretend to be, Paul thought, and for the first time acknowledged that his way of doing business, and relationships, and life, might not be the best way. The phrase Brittany said in the beginning of the day rang in his head: “You are who you hang out with.” But if he wanted to be like Scotty, he’d have to do two things. Number one, he’d have to admit that Scotty had strengths that he didn’t. The thought made his stomach hurt. Number two, he would have to put himself in a position to learn from Scotty, to surround himself with people like Scotty, who could identify his weaknesses and turn them into strengths. He felt like he would be sick again. This is not going to be easy, get yourself together, Paul thought. He was in a mental tug of war. Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

“I knew exactly where and how I wanted to propose, so a few weekends after the talk with Drew I asked for a Friday off and picked CiCi up for a surprise road trip. I took a picture of her as we were driving, her feet up on the dashboard, her hair falling on her shoulders. Those freckles, the sun setting behind her. I still have the picture. We arrived at Nags Head after dark and checked into our budget hotel. I waited for her to fall asleep before I got to work on my plan. I worked through the night, terrified she’d wake up and realize I was missing. I had been asleep for about two hours when my alarm went off at 3:30 a.m. It took some convincing, but she eventually got out of bed and followed me downstairs, through the parking lot and toward the water. She kept asking where we were going and commenting on how dark it was, but I just held her hand and told her to wait. I kept the lighthouse in sight, and moved quickly through the darkness toward it. As the sound of the ocean got louder, she noticed the tealight candles lining our path. She stopped in her tracks, but I pulled her along. We followed the trail of candles to the base of the lighthouse, where I had arranged dozens of tiny white candles in a circle. I leaned over and pressed play on my boombox; “Endless Love” by Lionel Richie began to play and we stepped into the circle of light.

“‘CiCi, before you, my world was darkness. Utter darkness. Like this, all around us,’ I began, my hands shaking. I took her hands in mine.

“‘I picked 3:30 in the morning because they say it’s always the darkest before dawn. This is the darkest part of the day, and every day before I met you was like this. I was consumed in the darkness, lost in it. But the first day I saw you, it was like that first candle back there—a tiny glimmer of light in my darkness. But each day we spent together, I felt like we were conquering the darkness. Each moment with you gave me the ability to see my next step. We’ve been together for 1,241 days,’ I said, motioning to the candles. It took her a second to grasp what I was saying.

“‘Did you line up 1,241 candles?’ she shrieked, covering her mouth. I smiled. My back was sore from placing the candles, but I was grateful for the help of a few nightshift workers in getting it done.

“‘You’ve been my light since day one. And this, this lighthouse, is what I want to be for you. A beacon of hope. A light when you’re lost. A fortress, a place of protection and stability. I love you. CiCi May Peters, will you do me the honor of being my wife?’ I asked, getting down on one knee and presenting my mom’s engagement ring. She jumped up and down, cried, put her hands on my face, and kissed me. I slid the ring on her finger and held her. We danced to the music, swaying back and forth, kissing, laughing, talking. When we finally pulled apart, the sun was peeking up over the water. Perfect timing.

“CiCi has always been my light, and I strive every day to be the light for others,” Scotty said, smiling. “But marriage is not easy. It’s a commitment and a choice to get through the hard stuff together, just like you enjoy the good stuff together. We’ve faced plenty of hardships, but I keep thinking about what Coach used to say.

If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. Swim harder.

“Being the best husband I can be is a challenge. Finding ways to communicate better, to swallow my pride, to have the hard conversations without running off, to compromise even when I know I’m right—they’re all challenging. But they change who I am as a person and as a husband. So I swim harder. I love harder, try harder, listen harder. I do the hard things because I know the result is worth it.

“I used to swim harder until my lungs felt like they were going to burst. I’d swim harder until it felt like I tore a muscle. I’d swim harder because I knew it would make me a better swimmer. Same goes with every relationship we have, both personal and professional. We have to do the challenging things in order to change. We have to swim harder,” Scotty said enthusiastically.

“The Sacred Six is how we all should SWIM. It’s a blueprint of how to operate as a person of integrity and success. It’s a code of honor to live up to; we will all come short, but the Sacred Six is how we tell a real shark from everything else in the ocean. We all need to become sharks.”

Paul felt like Scotty had read his mind; that somehow Scotty could sense the internal struggle he was having with wanting to change but being reluctant to do what was challenging, simply because the work was hard. Paul was no stranger to hard work; he worked hard at everything he did. But you do it for the wrong reasons, Paul thought. You work hard if it means recognition from someone else, if it is something you know you can excel in. But when it comes to addressing your own issues, or doing something that you’ll never get external praise for, you hide. Like being a good dad. Like being a good, faithful husband. Paul’s mind raced. He started to realize that his hesitation in doing the hard work on himself stemmed from a deep-rooted place of insecurity and the belief that he wasn’t worth the effort. He could point out the weaknesses in others all day long, but when it came to acknowledging his own in order to improve upon them, he froze. This is why the thought of admitting to Scotty that you could learn a thing or two from him makes you want to vomit. Because it would mean admitting weakness, admitting doubt and failure. And then doing something about it. And if you try to do something about it and fail … Paul thought, but shook away the thought. He struggled to put himself in a place of such vulnerability.

“One of the main things I took away from Drew’s lessons about the shark, the suckerfish, and the parasite was that the relationship is pretty fluid between the three,” Scotty said, pulling Paul out of his black hole of self-reflection.

“I was acting like a parasite when I punched that guy who was talking to CiCi. I was acting like a parasite when I was stealing from people to get money for drugs. I was a suckerfish when I finally let go of my pride and accepted the fact that admitting my weaknesses and striving to be like someone who clearly had it more together than I did was only going to benefit me,” Scotty said, and Paul was certain Scotty could read his mind.

“I was a shark when I used my experiences to help others, when I put my wife’s and daughter’s needs above my own, when I ran my business with integrity and expected nothing less from my team. But it all starts with the willingness to see where you fall in this trifecta and taking the first step toward change. Sharks are flexible,” Scotty said, glancing at everyone on the boat.

Paul could almost see the tiny angel sitting on his right shoulder and the mischievous devil standing on his left.

Just tell him you admire his strength, that you could learn a thing or two from someone like him, the angel whispered.

Abort! Abort! That’s humiliating. Don’t do that. Go read a self-help book if you need it. You can figure it out without with Mr. AC Tech making you feel like an idiot! the devil shouted.

It’s not weakness. It’s strength. Like Scotty said, just because you’ve been acting like a parasite doesn’t mean that you are one forever. You can be a shark, the angel pleaded. Paul felt like he was going crazy.

You’re a shark. You were one before you got on this boat and you’ll be one after. Maybe not the same kind of shark, but a shark all the same. You get stuff done. It’s fine. You’ve made it this far on your own, the red devil scolded.

“In life,” Scotty continued, “we all must effectively manage the three types of people in order to be successful. Sharks, suckerfish, and parasites are the only three types of people in this world. Once we can manage them effectively, we can go far in life. We first must understand that we can be all of these people throughout the day, so we need to be humble as we engage others. We manage sharks differently than we manage suckerfish, and we manage parasites way differently than we manage suckerfish.

“Sharks identify and respect other sharks, right? So this means you are aware of the people in your life who are your peers and are getting it done as well as or maybe even better than you. We all have good qualities, so we should always show respect to our peers. By giving sharks freedom to move throughout your life or business, you add strength to your team. Remember how the sharks in the tank at the aquarium just swam around together without killing each other? This is how you know you’re surrounded by sharks. Everyone knows their role and their value and does not feel threatened or intimidated by greatness,” Scotty said matter-of-factly.

“And then how do you manage the leeches?” Zach asked.

“The suckerfish. Not leeches, Zach, suckerfish. The suckerfish are managed in a separate way. They often crave direction and guidance, but once they find their spot, they’re a vital part of the team and become sharks too, with the right support. They are eager to learn and need to be put in situations where they can connect with a shark and be mentored. They want to go places but are aware that they need someone else to help them get there. These people work best when they are challenged. They need their questions met with patience, and they work best when their loyalty and work ethic are acknowledged.

“These suckerfish aren’t about getting a free ride. They’re valuable members of the team who understand the power of mentorship and take in and are hungry to learn and grow. Imagine that a great company or organization should be a building full of sharks and suckerfish but not flunkies, ’yes men’ or dead weight either. A suckerfish is nobody’s flunky.

“Here is the truth: Great leaders influence; bad leaders rule. A shark should recognize a suckerfish’s weaknesses or shortcomings and have a heart to help them grow and improve, knowing they are valuable. You should know this: Some sharks eat suckerfish. Sad but true, they see the suckerfish’s weakness or shortcomings and feast on it, take advantage of it. Make sense? There is not much difference between a small shark and a giant parasite. Not much difference at all!

“That is the gap I see in this world that the Sacred Six can fix. We need more leaders who want to take suckerfish with them; you aren’t successful unless you take others with you and allow them to feast, too.”

“And the parasites?” Zach shuddered. “How should we manage them?”

“Parasites are managed in a completely different way. Like we said before, in the ocean, the parasite is a parasite. They don’t change and the goal of the suckerfish is to destroy them. In our case—”

“There’s hope for the parasite,” Paul chimed in, realizing it was his favorite phrase of the day.

“Right. Hope for the parasite. Our mission in managing them is not to destroy them; instead, managing parasites means being honest in your assessment, clear about your boundaries and expectations, and open-minded enough to offer a second chance. Parasites often aren’t aware of how their behavior impacts others or the team and simply need to be called out in love about what they have to do to change. As we know, parasites are often a result of broken or a messy past that has robbed them of their ability to integrate successfully into a social or professional setting. Taking the time to get to know why parasites act the way they do is a first step in helping them change their ways. Parasitic people don’t trust others, and there could be a good reason for that. That’s why there is hope for a parasite—most people who act that way do it out of pain. Remember, hurt people hurt people.

“But we know that parasites can quickly take down their host and that they are known for spreading death and disease everywhere they go, so they can’t be left on their own. They can’t be shoved in a back office or ignored in order to keep the peace. Parasitic-type people must be handled swiftly in order to maintain the health and balance of the team. They’re hard to get rid of though, right? So they won’t go without a fight. Your goal is not to fire every parasite and send them to suck the time, energy, and resources from another host; it is to help them evolve into a species that not only gives them a better chance to thrive but gives the company a better chance to thrive as well. However, it is important to know when enough is enough and to be proactive in removing a parasite that has no intention of changing,” Scotty explained.

Brittany chimed in. “We are kind of covering this in one of my HR classes.” She added, “HR departments deal with parasites all day. Sometimes you don’t have to get rid of the person, but you must get rid of the attitude.” Scotty winked at her, and his heart grew a little with pride.

I can’t just say out loud, “Hey Scotty, can I be your suckerfish?” Paul thought to himself. It sounds corny and would make me feel weak. But that is what needs to happen. If I’m going to redefine what it means to be a shark, I need to show some humility for once and latch on to … Paul stopped. It all sounded too weird and creepy. It made him feel needy and submissive. He didn’t like the feeling, so he tried to change his train of thought. But his mind kept coming back to the battle between what he needed to do and what he was comfortable doing. Admitting weakness and asking for help was so foreign to him, and the idea of doing it in front of his son was tough, even though it was the right thing to do. What if his son laughed at him? Or was embarrassed and thought that his dad was acting like a wimp for reaching out for help?

“So what happened to Drew?” Paul asked, desperate to switch the conversation and focus on something other than his own self-analysis.

“Ah. So sad. He got eaten by a shark,” Scotty said in a somber voice.

“No way!” Paul said, whipping his head around to look at Scotty. Scotty couldn’t help but smile. Everyone seemed to appreciate a little light-hearted humor after a long and very emotional day.

“Just kidding. He told me to tell people he got eaten by a shark, but I still can’t do it with a straight face.” Scotty smiled, playfully nudging Paul. Paul laughed.

“Something far less exciting. Cancer. He was diagnosed and died in the same year; it was quick. He was mad that it was cancer, because sharks are known for their impressive immune systems and their incredible ability to fight diseases. He said he wished it would be something more exciting like a shark attack or running into a burning building to save a cat. But apparently, cancer didn’t know Drew was a shark. Pancreatic. Thankfully he didn’t suffer very long, and we were all there. It was peaceful,” Scotty said, still finding it hard to talk about. He continued, remembering that Drew made each of them promise to keep the movement going and not focus on the pain. “Drew just wanted each of us to keep his spirit alive in the way we lived our lives, and remember him for the good times, his corny humor, and, of course, the Sacred Six.

“I remember exactly where I was when CiCi called me and told me to drop everything. ’It’s time,’ she said, her voice shaking. I picked Brittany up from school and headed straight to Drew’s; the hospital had released him to hospice, but Drew wanted to be home. He was awake but fading: his breathing was shallow and he was a skeleton, every bone in his body poking through his transparent skin. I just stood at the doorway. Frozen. With a shaky, thin finger, Drew pointed to the chair beside the bed. I sat.

“‘Drew, I …,’ I started, choking up.

“‘No, no. You don’t. My turn,’ he said, squeezing my hand. “’You’re a shark. Everything you need is in the top drawer of the filing cabinet,’ he said, taking a deep breath. ’Password to the lock is SWIM. It is yours. All of it. Take it and keep it going. Matter of fact, grow this company, Scotty. You can do it. Remember that we are a training and development company masquerading as an AC company. Raise that one to be a shark,’ he whispered, nodding toward Brittany. ’I’m proud of you. I love you. I leave knowing the most precious thing in the world to me is safe and loved,’ he said, smiling over at CiCi.

“‘I’m tired. I’ve done a lot of swimming. I’m ready to stop swimming,’ Drew said, and coughed. I knew what it meant, his reference to sharks and what happened when they stopped moving. CiCi began to sob and laid her head on her dad’s chest. Brittany climbed into my lap. I looked at Drew at the end of his life and Brittany just starting hers, and realized how cyclical life really is.

“‘You don’t get to stop swimming,” Drew said slowly. ’You have to keep moving. For me. For them. When you are a shark, you don’t just swim, you SWIM. Tell ’em. Tell ’em I got eaten by a shark,’ Drew said, taking breaths in between words. ’I’m tired,’ he said softly, and shut his eyes. The hospice nurse came over and gently placed her two fingers on his wrist. She gave a sad smile, and I knew. He was gone. His motionless body just lay there, and we all stared. The biggest impact player I’d ever known, gone. He was not only a shark, Drew was a great white. I wrapped Drew in my arms and sobbed. My dad hadn’t done his job, but God had sent me an angel to teach me how to be a man. A real man! I stood up and walked over to CiCi and held her. After that, it was all a blur. We took his ashes out on our boat and spread them in the ocean. It felt like the only appropriate place,” Scotty said.

Tears streamed down Brittany’s face, and she wiped them with her sleeve.

“To know and experience true love and leadership is priceless and life-changing. I know my life wasn’t perfect and was hell early on, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Because when I met Drew and became his suckerfish, it was like the pain of my childhood faded away and I was able to begin a new life, in the right way,” Scotty said with confidence.

Paul took a deep breath, clearly moved by the story.

Scotty cracked his knuckles and continued. “We had talked a few weeks after his diagnosis about me taking over the business, which is what he was referring to when he told me about the filing cabinet. He was so prepared—had everything already changed over to my name, notebooks full of client names and history, tips and tricks for AC repair, his business plan, his bank information, his computer we bought him, too. All of it. I saw right there on the line, gross revenue of $5,000,000. I had had no idea, because the company’s success wasn’t about the money. We were a business that operated like a family. When we were finally able to focus again, and I began to get the affairs in order, I was shocked at what Drew had left me with. He was very good with his money, brilliant, and left me to manage it all. I felt unfit for the job. But CiCi helped out a lot, and with plenty of trial and error, Sharks was running better than before. Every decision we make is run through the ’What would Drew do?’ filter, and it helps us make smart decisions with integrity,” Scotty said, smiling. “Now we are not only a $25,000,000 company, but we also have a great culture built on great core values that have been passed down. We don’t focus on money, we focus on people. Like Drew always said, we are in the people business.”

When Scotty stopped talking, the silence sent Paul’s mind right back to his internal struggle. He still could not get past the fact that Scotty was the CEO of a $25,000,000 company. Damn! I thought he was just a dumb AC tech, Paul thought, running his fingers through his hair. Paul knew they were quickly getting close to shore, and if he wasn’t intentional now about asking for help and learning from Scotty, he knew he never would. Scotty was the shark Paul had always thought he was, and he regretted thinking anything less of him. How wrong I was about Scotty and what life is really about, he groaned inside. There’s hope for the parasite, but it’s not going to happen on its own. I have to do the challenging work to make a change. Scotty represents everything I want to be, everything I need to be. What a day! Maybe the best day of my life. It hurts, but this pain feels good. I know I’m a better man and I’m more excited than ever about my future, Paul thought, and felt a smile creeping to his face. He could do this. No, he had to do this.

“Hey, Scotty?” Paul said, breaking the silence. Scotty looked over at him. Paul’s stomach flipped, his heart raced.

“I was doing some thinking, and I wanted to uh … It’s just that … Well, ya see, I was thinking I could be your … ,” Paul stumbled, already regretting his questions.

“I could be your fishing buddy, ya know, next time we do this,” he said with a forced smile. The confusion on Scotty’s face was obvious, and Paul felt foolish.

“Yeah man, that’d be cool. Maybe we can take my boat out next time,” Scotty suggested.

Paul nodded and kicked himself for chickening out. Out in the distance, the marina came into view, a tiny speck on the horizon. Paul knew his time to finally step up and be intentional about doing something good was coming to a close. If he didn’t do it now, not only would his future suffer, but so would his son’s. If there was ever a time to step up and put someone else before himself, now was it. The fact that it was close to physically impossible for Paul to admit his weaknesses made him realize how much work he needed to do. One day of fishing had turned his world upside down, but in a good way.

Brittany and Zach started to clean up, putting things away to prepare to dock. It felt like everything was happening in slow motion; he could almost hear the seconds ticking down. The boat sped toward the shore, each building getting bigger as they got closer. Paul gripped the steering wheel and tapped his foot. Then, as if in slow motion, Scotty walked from the front of the boat straight to him. Scotty stood next to him and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Good day, eh?” Scotty asked, patting Paul’s shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah. Didn’t catch much, but still, it was a great day, Scotty. Learned a lot,” Paul said, feeling nervous. It was silent for a little while. Paul counted down from 5.

5 … 4 … 3 … 2 …

“Plans for the rest of the weekend?” Scotty asked, interrupting Paul’s countdown.

“Don’t think so. Working, probably,” he said, without even thinking. It was his go-to answer whenever anyone asked him what he was doing. Because it was all he did. Scotty nodded and stood silent. Paul felt like Scotty was just waiting for him to speak up, giving him the opportunity to take the step that everyone knew he needed to take.

“Scotty, man, I uhhh …” Paul took a deep breath. “I wanted to say sorry. Sorry for not being a good friend back then. Sorry for the way I thought about you. Treated you. I underestimated you. I really did. I learned that today,” he said quickly.

“You’re not the guy I thought you were,” Paul continued. “You deserve a lot more credit. You’re a bigger man than I am,” he said, surprised at how easy it felt to say. Scotty’s eyes widened.

“You got it together. Great business, great family. You help people. You’re happy. You are successful. You’re a real shark, dude,” Paul said, patting Scotty on the shoulder. It was getting easier.

“I could learn a thing or two from you. You know, about all this leadership stuff,” Paul said, gesturing between them. “I thought I was a shark. Turns out I may have had it all wrong. Would love to … uhh ...” Paul hesitated as he realized Zach was listening. Zach’s stare made Paul lose his train of thought.

“Would love to hear more about what Drew taught you. Maybe learn to swim. Not swim like”—he motioned toward the water— “but, you know, swim swim. Swim,” he said, confidently. Scotty smiled, and Paul wanted him to say something. Anything.

“Paul, man. Yes, of course. I see a shark in you. You’ve always had shark tendencies. We can learn a lot from each other. Yes.” Scotty smiled, shaking Paul’s hand, careful not to make it a huge deal or sound condescending. Scotty knew how much courage it must have taken for Paul to say those things, and he didn’t want to ruin the moment.

Zach watched from afar, observing how his dad slowly opened up to Scotty and stopped dead in his tracks when the words you’re a bigger man than I am escaped his mouth. Zach stood frozen, listening to his dad speak in a way he had never heard before. For a second it made Zach feel uncomfortable, but then it made him feel proud. He wondered if this was a sign that something Scotty had said stuck with him. It made him feel hopeful that there was change on the horizon for a real relationship with his dad. He was no longer confused, but hopeful that this was could be the first of many really great days with his dad.

“So let’s just say someone was a parasite. Or maybe not a parasite but maybe they could work on being a better shark. What would their first step be?” Zach asked, trying to sound casual and general.

“Great question, Zach. I would say, hypothetically, that if you were a parasite, if you were acknowledging that you had these tendencies, it would be a good sign that your level of self-awareness is enough to help you transform into what you’re totally capable of being. One of the first things I would suggest to a hypothetical parasite, or someone with these tendencies, would be to find a shark in your life. Find someone who has the qualities you admire. And when you find them, you have to tell them. That’s the hard part. It can be weird and awkward and make you feel vulnerable, but you have to do it. The shark in your life needs to know that you are watching and willing to learn in order to most effectively teach you. That would be the first step,” Scotty explained.

Paul felt a sense of relief. He had just taken the first step by finding the courage to tell Scotty he wanted to learn from him. He felt slightly more empowered.

“And then what would the hypothetical parasite do?” Paul asked eagerly.

“Well, the next part is not something you just do and check off a box. It’s a shifting of the mindset. It is learning to put others before yourself, and this is only done through practice. It takes time. A lot of time. It happens slowly, and it can seem unnatural and uncomfortable at first, especially for a hypothetical parasite that has spent so much of his life … or her life, whatever, in a me-focused mindset. This happens when you reach out and apologize for wrongdoings, when you own up to mistakes, when you right wrongs. It can take years, your whole life even, to truly master this step. But you do other things simultaneously to become a shark. It all kind of happens at the same time. It’s a change in your mindset and your lifestyle. It’s like you’ve always known how to swim, but this is being taught to SWIM,” Scotty explained.

The boat was quickly approaching the shore, and Scotty could begin to make out the buildings and the yachts bobbing in the water. All of a sudden, a loud dinging sound startled all of them, and the engines started to sputter.

“No, no, no, no, no!” Paul yelled, banging his fists on the steering wheel. Scotty followed Paul’s gaze to the flashing gas light indicator. The boat slowly came to a stop as the engines halted.

“We’re out of gas?” Brittany asked, peering over her dad’s shoulder to check the gas indicator.

“Sure are. Damnit,” Paul said, embarrassed and unsure of what to do. He knew he didn’t have any backup gas tanks because he had yet to add them to his new boat. The four of them glanced out at the marina, so close yet so far away. Scotty pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted CiCi to let her know about the situation. Scotty’s phone beeped, indicating that his battery was low.

“I don’t have service,” Brittany said, holding up her phone.

“Me either,” said Zach, tossing his phone onto the padded captain’s chair.

The boat bobbed in the water, and the sudden chill made Scotty realize that the sun was quickly setting. He weighed his options, checked his phone, which mocked him with more beeps, and looked around for help.

“Mayday, mayday,” Paul barked into the boat’s radio. “We ran out of gas. We’re stranded!” he said urgently. Scotty chuckled at Paul’s lack of radio etiquette, as this hardly qualified as a mayday situation. They could see the shore; they were not in any imminent danger. The only sound on the radio was static, and Paul called out again. Finally, a grainy voice came out over the speaker.

“Is that you, Paul?” laughed the voice on the other end. “You ran out of gas?” the voice asked. Paul rolled his eyes before responding.

“Hiya, Chris. Yes, we ran out. We’re about four hundred yards from shore. Can someone help us out?”

“We had a small vessel capsize out in open water, so all our rescue boats are on that. May be a while before we can get out to you. Everyone okay?”

“A while? How long? Can’t you just get someone? I just bought this boat this weekend. You don’t have a system in place for this?” he barked, his voice escalating. “What kind of marina doesn’t have the personnel to help someone who just bought a $400,000 bo —” Paul stopped. He looked sheepishly over at Scotty, who was watching him, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. Paul felt his face get red.

“You know what, Chris? It’s actually just fine. We can wait. We’ve got sandwiches. Thanks. Keep us updated?” Paul said, softening his tone. Scotty smiled approvingly. Paul sat back in the captain’s chair and put his feet up. He thought about what Scotty had said earlier that day about sharks never going backward. He realized how easy it was for him to fall back to his old ways, to revert to old strategies and habits, how easy it was to go back even after a whole day of forward movement. For a second he felt defeated, but the approving look on Scotty’s face after Paul changed his tone let him know that it was okay.

Scotty surveyed the situation. He was curious, so he calculated the distance from the boat to the shore, estimated the time it would take for the rescue boats to get back to them, and made a decision. He slipped his shoes off and put them under the seat. He took his car keys and now-dead phone out of his pockets and slipped them in the pocket of Brittany’s bag. He lifted his shirt over his head and threw it down by his shoes. He was a little scared to do it, with the sun setting and the fact that he hadn’t swum that far since high school—and always in lakes, never in the ocean.

“What in the world?” Brittany yelled, her eyes wide.

“Facing fear is faster. I’ll just swim. I can make it. Then I can get help faster. It could be hours before they can help us. Maybe I can grab a gas can and borrow a wave runner and come back. I’ll figure it out. It’s better than sitting here and waiting. I have to do something,” he said confidently. Thankfully the tide was pushing the boat closer to the dock.

Scotty climbed over the side of the boat and stood on the diving platform. To his surprise, he felt someone next to him. Paul, shirtless and in all of his muscled glory, was standing right next to him.

“Like old times?” he asked playfully. Scotty was speechless. He wasn’t sure if he was touched by this sentimental gesture or annoyed that Paul had to make everything a competition.

“You don’t have to. You can stay with the kids. I got it, you can just … Paul, this isn’t the lake in Lake City, you know. There are real sharks here.”

“When you are a shark, you don’t just swim, you SWIM!” Paul said. He paused and then yelled, “I am a shark, too” and dove headfirst into the cold water. Scotty looked back at Brittany, who looked flabbergasted at how the situation had quickly developed. She threw her hands up in defeat and gave a reluctant smile. Scotty dove in and pushed with everything he had to catch up with Paul. Scotty hoped that although he didn’t spend as much time in the weight room as Paul apparently did, his regular swimming routine would work to his advantage in this moment.

Scotty could see the details in the wood of the dock as he approached. Paul was an arm’s length ahead of him, inching closer to the silver ladder that hung off over the side. Swim harder, Scotty thought and found a strength deep down inside of him to kick harder and push harder.

Paul could feel Scotty gaining on him. His arms didn’t slice the water like they used to, and his breathing techniques were rusty. This ain’t high school anymore, he thought. When Paul stepped onto the diving platform, he had envisioned diving gracefully into the water and gliding toward the dock with Scotty in his wake, like old times. Scotty felt himself start to panic. This is not what I thought was going to happen, Paul thought. He’s passing me. A cramp. I’ll get a cramp and have to stop. I’ll swim back to the boat, he thought as he slowed down, trying to figure out an excuse to back out of the challenge. He knew he wasn’t going to win. Back, Paul thought, sharks don’t swim backward. They don’t go back to who they were once they know better, he thought. He took a deep breath, found a focal point on the dock, and pushed each muscle in his body forward with purpose.

Slowly, with the dock approaching, Scotty passed Paul and threw his hands up on the dock. Paul grabbed on just 20 seconds after. The two pulled themselves up onto the dock, and Scotty put his hand up to give a high five. The two slapped hands and Paul waited for Scotty to boast and brag about winning, but he didn’t. They both looked out into the water, and to their surprise, Paul’s boat was cruising toward them with Brittany behind the wheel. Zach was waving something in his hands and laughing. As the boat slowed down to approach the dock, Paul and Scotty realized what it was. A gas can. Zach must have found a spare in a storage compartment on the boat.

“You son of a …” Paul laughed, quickly grabbing the lines and helping secure the boat to the dock. The sun disappeared below the horizon.

“What in the world?” CiCi exclaimed, running down the dock, approaching the four of them with a gas tank in hand, “You SWAM?” she asked, confused. She looked over at Brittany, who smiled and shrugged. Cici knew that if Brittany was smiling, everything was okay.

“How’d it go? Catch anything? Good day?” she asked, shifting her eyes from each person to get some sort of idea about how the day had gone.

“CiCi. Paul Gray. So nice to see you again after all these years!” Paul said, putting his hand out to shake hers. She ignored his hand and hugged him as she always did. “Great to see you again after all these years. Great guy you have here, this Scotty boy. Really enjoyed our day, he’s really matured since high school,” he said, patting Scotty on the back. “This day was unbelievable, Scotty!” He chuckled.

“Listen, I’m freezing, we’re gonna head home,” Paul said, shivering. “Scotty, thank you so much for today. I really look forward to hanging out more and learning a few things from you. Real shark, eh?” he said, looking over at CiCi. She smiled a confused smile because there is no way he could know about how much sharks meant to this family. Everyone said their goodbyes and Paul and Zach started walking down the boardwalk toward their car, until Paul stopped and turned around.

“CiCi! I’ll be celebrating Drew’s big day tomorrow! Happy birthday, Drew!” Paul shouted and turned the corner, out of sight. CiCi looked up at Scotty and raised her eyebrows in even more confusion, waiting for an explanation. “You better tell me everything,” she said with a smile. Scotty locked her pinky with his and headed toward the parking lot.

He took a deep breath, thoughts of the events of the day swirling in his head. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head. “CiCi, I’m so glad that you are my shark and I am your suckerfish,” Scotty said.

“Now, Scotty, how many times do I have to tell you that you are the shark and I am your suckerfish?” Cici sighed. They spoke in corny and obvious flirty voices.

“Caught a big one today, CiCi,” Scotty began. “I battled Moby Dick all day, but we got ’em in the Sacred Six boat,” Scotty said, putting an arm over Brittany’s shoulder, thankful to be back on land with his two favorite girls.

“So today Paul learned to SWIM,” Scotty began.