Paul’s sudden seasickness caught Scotty off guard, who quickly handed his rod over to Brittany and stood by Paul. Scotty knew from years of fishing that some fish vomit up their guts as you pull them out of the water. He instinctively put his hand on Paul’s back to offer comfort, but the way Paul’s body tensed at his touch let Scotty know that it might be better to back off. Paul reemerged, wiped the side of his mouth with his arm, and wiped his watering eyes.

“Not sure what that was about,” Paul said with a small laugh, slightly embarrassed.

“Was it the motion of the boat? Or something I said?” Scotty asked, careful not to mention the P-word if that was what had caused Paul to get sick.

“No, no, it’s fine. Probably something I ate this morning,” he said dismissively, standing up and walking the length of the boat. “Should have taken my Dramamine,” Paul mumbled. Scotty wanted to give Paul his space, so he walked toward the front of the boat. Zach picked up his phone.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Paul said excitedly. “You told us about the shark and the suckerfish, but what about the parasite? What did Drew teach you about the parasite?” he asked. Scotty noticed a sense of urgency in Paul’s voice. Scotty, not surprised that Paul wanted to continue, walked back toward him and sat down.

“Parasites are nasty. Nasty, nasty. They’re an entire species of microscopic nastiness. All they do is spread death and disease. This was, without a doubt, my least favorite lesson to learn. Very important, but very different from the trips to the aquarium or a day out on the boat. Are you sure you want me to …” Scotty trailed off, looking toward the water and what was left of Paul’s breakfast.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s fine. Go ahead,” Paul said, eager to leave his embarrassing moment behind them. Zach put down his phone to listen, too.

“My lesson about the parasite happened in a lab on the campus of a local college. Drew met me at the front of the shop one morning and told me we were going on a field trip. I jumped in his truck, and, like most of our other trips, we rode in silence much of the way. I always found this weird, as Drew clearly had a lot to teach me and a three-hour car ride would be the perfect place to do that. But I’d learned that sometimes silence and self-reflection taught more than asking questions and seeking answers did.

“I noticed that we began to follow signs for a prestigious college in the area; I had never stepped foot on a college campus before, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable and insecure,” Scotty said.

I know the feeling, Paul thought to himself.

“It was a big campus, but Drew knew exactly where he was going, as usual. We parked in a parking garage and followed signs to the oceanography/physical sciences building. As we walked, I watched people my age, carrying books and bags and looking focused and totally in their element. They had such a different story than I did, and I was worried they could tell by looking at me that I had never even finished high school. We stopped briefly outside a multistory building, then Drew quickly and purposely took the stairs up to the main entrance. As he opened the door, the cool AC and the smell of old books hit me like a wave. The main lobby was practically empty, with just a few students huddled around a textbook at a long table by the window. Drew’s steps echoed in the massive building until we stopped at an elevator. Drew hit the button and the elevator doors slid open. It was a quick trip to the third floor, and Drew made an immediate right as he stepped out of the elevator. He scanned the doors as we passed them and said ‘Aha’ when we reached room 308. He peered inside the rectangular window, smiled, and opened the door. An older woman looked up from her desk and peered at us over the frames of her thick glasses. She was petite, with white hair and a warm smile, like Mrs. Claus.

“‘Scotty, this is Professor Carter. Professor, this is the young man I was telling you about, Scotty,’ Drew said to her in a casual and familiar tone. I held out my hand to shake hers, but she got up and wrapped me in a hug instead. She smelled like peppermints.

“‘So nice to meet you, Scotty! Drew’s told me a lot about you. You ready to go?’ she asked, looking from me and over to Drew. Drew motioned for her to lead the way and she did, taking us out of the classroom, back down the elevator and through a set of double doors that only unlocked after she used a key hanging on her necklace.

“As soon as we were through the doors, it smelled like we were in a fish market. Through large windows I could see students peering into large blue tanks, some holding clipboards and writing intently. We entered a small lab and Professor Carter flicked on the lights. I remember thinking This must be what a morgue feels like because it was so white, bright, sterile, and cold. She hurried around the lab with purpose, and motioned for us to follow her to a long table against the wall. There was a microscope that I was sure cost a fortune and lines of glass containers, test tubes, beakers, eye droppers, and petri dishes, all organized by size and color coded. I was careful not to touch anything. The professor sat down in front of the microscope and put her eye to the eyepiece. She adjusted a dial on the side and was quiet for a moment. She slowly lifted her head and pushed her rolling chair away from the table.

“‘Now, without moving anything, come see,’ she said calmly, looking at me and pointing toward the equipment. I walked toward the table and sat down, then slowly put my eye to the black plastic piece, just like she had done. I looked down the tube and let my eye focus on the tiny dots in the petri dish. ‘See ’em?’ she asked hopefully. I told her I just saw black dots, and she came over and adjusted the viewer. Once she did, the black dots morphed into teardrop-shaped blobs, but I still wasn’t sure what I was looking at.

“‘What do you notice?’ she asked. Ah, the age-old what do you notice question. Wonder if this is where Drew gets it from? I thought to myself, looking carefully into the microscope. I explained what I saw, a small oval-shaped blob with thick lining and smaller circles inside.

“‘That’s a parasite,’ she said, and I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. ‘That tiny thing is responsible for taking down huge marine animals, like sharks and rays,’ she explained. ‘It’s a scuticociliate, a subclass of ciliates. They’re free-moving ocean organisms that operate as opportunistic parasites. They cause a common fish disease called scuticociliatosis, where tissue-eating cilia consume the blood, skin, and internal organs of their infected host,’ I remember her saying, as simply and easily as if she was reading the morning paper. Drew saw the confusion in my face and laughed.

“‘Professor, think you can break it down for us?’ Drew asked, smiling. Professor Carter pushed a few laminated papers across the table for us to see. I immediately regretted looking at them. The highly magnified photos showed what looked like a small, hairy almond. I looked away, trying to settle my stomach.

“‘They’re small, but they are responsible for the downfall of animals much bigger than they are. They weasel their way in and feed off an unsuspecting shark, slowly draining its energy, health, and ability. They need the shark to survive until they drains it of all its resources, slowly contributing to its demise. It’s not a mutually beneficial relationship like the one between the shark and the —’

“‘Suckerfish!’ I interrupted excitedly. She smiled and glanced over at Drew, who winked at her.

“‘Right. The shark and the suckerfish benefit from each other, but the parasite adds no value. All a parasite does is take. Want to get another look?’ she asked us, nodding toward the microscope. I put my hands up indicating I’d pass, and Drew commented that he was all too familiar with the parasite.

“‘Once they latch on, these little things are hard to get rid of. Once they weasel their way into the tough skin of the shark, they make themselves at home; they can even hatch their eggs inside the shark—which is why they can cause so much damage in just a short amount of time. The parasite, of course, does not have the cognitive ability to understand the damage it is doing, but even if it did, it probably wouldn’t care. They’re selfish little buggers, concerned only with their own survival. They have no concept of giving or providing value to the shark, and they use the shark’s resources to survive. They take and give nothing in return. I know people like that, dated a few too many.” She switched out the petri dish and asked me to come take another look. I should have passed. This time I didn’t even need to look through the microscope to see the squiggling worm creature in the dish.

“‘That’s Todd. The tapeworm. You get a tapeworm when you ingest its eggs or larvae. They’re a different type of parasite that affects different hosts. But their mission is the same: to use the host’s resources to survive without adding any value.’ She moved the petri dish from the microscope, and I was relieved when she started putting everything back in its place.

“To my horror, however, Professor Carter suggested going to lunch, and I prayed I’d be able to get the image of that hairy almond out of my head by the time we ate.

“The three of us walked the campus, passing old brick buildings, sprawling green spaces, a small pond with a dramatic water fountain. Tall oak trees created a canopy over us as we walked from the oceanography building to the library. We walked into the quiet building and headed toward the research section. Professor Carter dragged her finger down a long line of books, and stopped suddenly. She pointed to the floor, and we sat. She sat next to us and flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

“‘See all of these?’ she asked, tapping her finger on row after row of pictures of highly magnified organisms. Some looked like the hairy almond back in the lab; others looked like worms.

“‘These look more like bugs, where these guys are a type of bacteria,’ she said excitedly, like she was picking out items for her Christmas list. Nobody should be this excited about parasites, I thought to myself, hoping this lesson would end quickly. She snapped the book shut and returned it to shelf. She explained that parasites come in all shapes and sizes, and that a lot of the time, we can be completely unaware that we have a parasite until it has already drained us of our resources and energy. ‘Parasites can attack people, too,’ she said, and suddenly I remembered that I needed to be much better about washing my hands with soap.

“‘Lunch? I’m famished,’ she said with a little jump, and led us out of the library.

“We followed the professor into the on-campus pizza joint and to a booth in the back. The menus were sticky and the table hadn’t been wiped down, and I wanted desperately to forget everything I had just seen and indulge in some cheesy goodness. I ran to the restroom and scrubbed down. When I returned, the professor ordered a Big Pie for the table and we sipped our sodas and talked. Professor Carter was clearly passionate about her job.

“‘Did you notice the tiny hairlike membranes on the outside of the specimen we looked at back at the lab? Those help the parasite navigate through the shark’s nose and up into its brain. There, it slowly begins to eat away at the muscle, causing the shark to become incapacitated and disoriented. Usually, this means they lose the ability to swim and they die, or they beach themselves by accident. It’s truly a sad sight to see. This huge powerful creature can be taken down by this little tiny parasite. But more research needs to be done to learn more. It’s all in the initial stages right now,” she said, lifting a greasy piece of pizza to her mouth. I was silent until a not-so-subtle kick to my shin prompted me to speak up.

“‘Oh, fascinating, for sure,’ I blurted. I asked for a to-go box for my slices. As always, Drew picked up the tab, and we walked out toward the center of campus.

“‘We should be heading back now, don’t want to get home too late,’ Drew said after a few moments.

“‘Okay, Andrew, that’s fine,’ she smiled. ‘It was so nice to meet you, Scotty,’ she said, wrapping me in another hug. ‘If you ever want to come and help with my parasite research, you’re more than welcome!’ she teased as she rubbed my back. I thanked her and stepped back to let Drew say his goodbyes. She whispered something to him as they hugged and I looked away, letting them have their moment. But what I heard next caused me to snap my head back in their direction so fast that I almost broke my neck.

“‘Love you, too, Mom, call you later,’ Drew said, pulling away from her embrace. He noticed the shock on my face and looked pleased. He thrived on surprises and catching people off guard. Professor Carter was already walking back to her lab, and we set out to the truck.”

“Wait, wait,” Paul interrupted. “Drew’s mom was the fish teacher?” he exclaimed.

Scotty smiled and nodded. “I was surprised, too. She insisted on calling him Andrew. In fact, come to find out, she hates when people call him Drew. Drew talked all about her on the way home, how she raised four boys on her own, how she worked three jobs to make ends meet but still made it to all of their activities and sporting events. They had a little house in Lazy Lake, and she expected Drew and his three brothers to pitch in from an early age to keep it looking tidy and neat. They rotated chores, one doing the lawn, one doing the kitchen and bathrooms, one making the beds, and one doing laundry. She brought them to church every Sunday, and they stayed after to help clean up when everyone else headed to get breakfast. They tagged along with her to the local soup kitchen to serve the homeless, and they helped her babysit for the teen mom down the street. Giving and serving is in their DNA. She loved the ocean and saved up every year to take the boys to a cheap motel on the water, where she built sandcastles with them and pointed out different sea creatures and birds. She’d splurge on ice cream cones for all of them, and then fall asleep in the armchair as she sang to all four of them, tucked in to the two queen-size beds. Made me miss my mom so bad. I could see where Drew got his love for family and serving others from. I could see why it was so important to raise his kids right, to pass down the important stuff, to keep his mom’s legacy alive. I could see why he put so much effort in teaching people, and in paying close attention to the way his words and actions impacted others.”

“So how’d she end up as a professor?” Zach asked.

“She took a class or two at the local college when Drew and his brothers were little. Sometimes she’d have to take a year off, sometimes she was lucky and could afford two classes in a semester. It was a quiet, private, personal thing. She’d put her boys and her community first, but she had this goal of teaching oceanography at the college level, and she persisted. Drew told me about finding her asleep with her head on the kitchen table, surrounded by textbooks. When he gently woke her, she sprang to her feet to get her small army out the door. It took years, but she finally did it—she earned her degree and started teaching the Oceanography 101 course at the local college. She eventually moved up to the university level and has been there ever since. She was serious about reaching her goal, but she was more serious about making sure she raised four kind, honest, reliable, productive, giving, humble, and hardworking men,” Scotty said, and realized that the more he remembered Professor Carter, the more it sounded like he was talking about CiCi. He played with his wedding ring and was suddenly anxious to get home to her.

Paul looked over at Zach. All this talk about great mothers made him think of his own mom. The woman who pushed herself to be perfect to meet the impossible expectations of a man, Paul’s father, who would never be satisfied. The beautiful woman who never felt good enough, pretty enough, smart enough. The young mom who let go of her dreams and ambitions to be a trophy wife of someone who didn’t even know she had dreams. And he suddenly felt sad for her, realizing that although she was known for hosting the best block parties and running in elite social circles, she must have felt so alone. Paul’s stomach tightened as his brain made the connection between his mother and the woman he married. Junie. The sweet girl with so much potential who wanted to be loved and wanted so hard to make it work with the quarterback who stole her virginity way before prom night. The girl who moved mountains for his happiness and gave up searching for her own. And he never even noticed or cared. He remembered the jealousy he felt as she stared into their newborn baby’s eyes, and wondered why she never smiled at him like that. She was a fantastic mother, and Zach loved her. Truly loved her. She wanted so badly for her son to have a life where he felt seen and appreciated while being grounded and confident. Paul wasn’t sure how to do the dad thing, so he compensated with toys and gadgets and gifts.

And when Junie began to put her foot down, demanding that her son have a life full of love and experiences instead of new bikes and toys, Paul panicked. The combination of seeing the way she wholeheartedly adored him, along with the pressure to give his son something he didn’t have, was all it took for him to distance himself. Work trips got longer, phone calls became less frequent, fights got more intense. Paul knew Junie would continue to try to make it work, but Paul knew he’d fail. So when a woman in a red dress and black heels approached him at the networking event, he made a call to Junie that the meeting got extended and he’d be home in a few days. Being tangled up with Charlotte in the penthouse suite for the weekend felt like an escape for Paul, a chance to finally breathe and do something right for a change. When Junie found the hotel receipt, Paul knew it was over because June wouldn’t ever turn a blind eye to anything. She would confront him and always hold him accountable. When it was finally over, a part of him was relieved. She took Zach and moved into a cute bungalow near the water that Paul felt very generous paying for.

The best decision I ever made was picking the right mom for my kid, Paul thought. She wasn’t the right wife for me. Or maybe I wasn’t the right husband for her. To her. But Zach got an incredible mother out of what I assumed was a mistake, … he thought.

Paul made it to most birthday parties, and would surprise Zach with a big check in the mail every once in a while. He always meant to call and get together with his growing son, but deals had to be made and work had to be done and he kept putting it off. It was only a few months after Zach turned 18 that Zach showed up at Paul’s front door demanding answers. They started going out on the boat, racing fast cars, taking impromptu trips to Paris. Paul had hoped that the trips and the gifts were enough to make up for his years of absence, but he knew deep down that they weren’t. The way that Zach still constantly sought his father’s approval felt all too familiar. When Paul thought about it, he didn’t really know his son. He didn’t know what he was afraid of, or what he wanted to be as an adult, or if he had even been heartbroken. Paul felt a lump in his throat as he watched Scotty engage in conversation with Zach. Zach looked so interested in what Scotty was saying, and Paul noticed the way Scotty listened, really listened, to what Zach was saying.

Paul got lost in thought again, thinking of how Drew talked about his mom and Scotty talked about CiCi, and realized that in the short time that Zach and Paul had reconnected, all Paul had done was bash Junie. But she was the one reason Zach was still a decent kid, and Paul could see how he was already messing it up. Junie was selfless and serving, and Zach was too. But recently, Paul noticed Zach’s more selfish tendencies and foolishly saw them as showing that his son was a chip off the old block. Zach was watching Paul toss people aside to get where he needed to go, and was slowly starting to do the same. His comments today about the shark and the suckerfish, they were all me. They were all things I’ve said, or would say, and be proud of, Paul thought, feeling like he would be sick again. We’re all in charge of leaving a legacy, and I’m not so sure I’m leaving the right one.

“So what did she teach you about the parasites?” Zach asked, bringing Paul back to the present.

“Well, thankfully we didn’t have to get up close and personal with any other nasty parasites; that part of our lesson was over. But to be honest, there’s no great way to learn about parasites. They’re just naturally disgusting.” Scotty laughed. And when people act like parasites, that’s even worse, he thought.

“Drew used our ride back home to help connect what we had learned at the university with what he wanted me to learn. A parasite is anyone in your life who takes from you but does not add value. They are not interested in using their strengths to benefit you; they are solely interested in their own survival, even if it means causing damage to you or others. And they can be hard to get rid of. Parasites know that their best chance of survival is finding a host to attach to, and once they get settled, they get to work in bringing the host down. I remember thinking, Sounds a lot like my dad, but I must have said it out loud, because Drew said, ‘Mine too.’

“It was quiet for a while as I thought about my dad, and I realized that ever since I had saved up enough to rent to move into the studio apartment next to the shop, I hadn’t heard from him. The last time I had seen him was when I was packing up the few things I had and loading them into my truck. He had come out to the driveway, and I could smell the alcohol as he approached. I remember being shocked at how old and sad he looked. He put his hand on my back and slurred something about how I was leaving my old man behind. Abandoning him, just like my you-know-what of a mother had done, he slurred. He put both hands on the car to hold himself up and I was so relieved to go and never look back.

“‘I’m gonna go now, Pops. I’ll see you later,’ I said, shutting the trunk.

“‘Don’t worry about coming back. You go fix heaters or whatever it is you do. Too bad you couldn’t be a lawyer like I was. Druggie. That’s what time jail … time … jail time will do. Too bad,’ he said, trying to sound mean but sounding stupid instead. I wanted so bad to punch him, to tell him what a waste of space he was and that he hadn’t deserved Mom. But I pushed past him, got in my truck, and peeled away. I didn’t even look back. Literally. I didn’t even look in the rearview mirror. I just left.

“‘But there’s something you need to know about parasites,’ Drew said, pulling me back to the present. ‘There’s hope for them. People who are parasites in your life are not bound to be parasites forever. They, unlike the ocean species, are capable of thought and reason and education and change. Same goes for sharks and suckerfish. Just because you’re one now doesn’t mean you’ll be one forever. It’s all very fluid and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

“‘In some of your relationships you’ll be the shark and in some you’ll be the suckerfish. It all depends on the person you are connecting with. But nobody should be a parasite. If a suckerfish gets mentored the right way by a shark, eventually it will become a shark, too. Sharks can have parasitic tendencies sometimes, but they are quick to notice them and make changes. Don’t think that all sharks are buddy-buddy with suckerfish—some sharks even eat suckerfish and don’t take them for a ride or work in tandem. The business world is full of sharks who only look out for themselves and could care less about others’ success.’

“When I think about Drew, I think of him as a gigantic great white. A great white shark can have thirty suckerfish connected to it all at the same time. That’s the goal of the Sacred Six; we all should aspire to become great whites.

“‘Parasites have a harder time making the shift at first, but they can do it,’ Drew told me. I felt defensive, angry that anyone would assume that a parasite like my dad could be anything else than a cold-hearted, selfish, waste of a life. Maybe some parasites were capable of reconciliation, but my dad was the worst of the worst, and I hated even letting him take up space in my brain. But I realized as I matured that my dad was a broken man and that he was no different than the boys at the shop. The only difference was that they had met Drew.

“My dad never had a good role model, a good mentor. That’s why mentorship is so important to me. It changed my life, so I am committed to change others’ lives. We all need support; we all need great leadership and great mentors. We all need to get connected to the right sharks at some point in our life, and we all need to be suckerfish before we can ever become good sharks. You first need to become a great follower of someone else’s vision before you are fully prepared to follow your own. Make sense? I think some people think they are sharks, but are really just huge, giant parasites. Tough to tell ’em apart, to be honest, especially the ones with money.

Paul looked out over the water. Scotty noticed Brittany quietly revel in Paul’s silence. They hadn’t thrown a line into the water for over an hour, but Paul suddenly had the urge to break away from the conversation and put some bait on his line. He sent his line out into the water and watched the bobber bounce on the water while he thought. He had always assumed that the tough love and hard lessons he had learned from his dad were what enabled him to be so successful. Paul thought back to a vivid memory of his dad belittling a waitress at a restaurant they used to go to, complaining about everything from the food to her ability to write down their order. Visibly flustered, she had gotten a manager, who had taken care of the whole meal, and Paul’s dad had been so proud. I was so proud of him in the moment, Paul thought, because he was so proud of himself. He felt big and powerful, and I saw him as big and powerful. My dad, the guy who got stuff done. But he did it by embarrassing that waitress and didn’t feel bad about it, Paul thought, his stomach turning. This memory started a train of memories of times Paul did the same thing. He thought about his habit of finding a small flaw in a business deal or a dinner Charlotte had made and using it as a way to get loud and boisterous and feel important. Suddenly he felt small and wanted to be anywhere but this boat, where he felt exposed and embarrassed.

Paul thought back to the years he spent trying to impress his dad—on the swim team, in school, with the ladies, on the football field. Paul spent so much energy trying to measure up, and his dad was relentless in tearing him down. Hard to get rid of, Paul thought, thinking about what Scotty had said about parasites being stubborn and hard to get rid of. Even when Paul moved out, his father’s voice was there, reminding him of how he wasn’t quite good enough. The example that his father had set for him was so engrained in who Paul was that he began to worry that these traits would be hard, if not impossible, to get rid of. They take and take but never give, Paul thought. At first, he didn’t think this really applied to his own dad, since his dad had provided a great house and family vacations for the family, and had given Paul had a brand-new car when he turned 16. But when he tried to think of a time his dad gave him a compliment, gave him a chance, gave him grace, gave him wisdom, gave him time, he came up empty. When Paul began to think of the things his father took from him—confidence, time, knowledge, a peaceful childhood—he got angry.

What am I taking from Zach? What have I taken from Junie and Charlotte? What have I taken from the people in my company? And aside from money, what have I given them? Paul wondered, almost frantically. He searched his brain for answers. Surely I must have mentored someone? Who have I mentored, impacted, or help make successful? Paul thought. Is there anyone in my life who talks about me the way Scotty talks about Drew?

“That night, as we were closing up, Drew asked me what I remembered about our quick pop into the library. I remembered the professor showing us different types of parasites, and mentioning that they all look different and cause different types of damage. He nodded, and went on to explain that sometimes the parasites in our lives aren’t our overly critical bosses or our deadbeat dads. They can be well-meaning friends and family members who are unaware of their effect on those around them. Or perhaps they are aware, but don’t know how to change it. Although in the ocean the suckerfish devours any parasite they see, it doesn’t work like that in the real world. Sometimes we can’t simply dismiss or destroy the parasites in our lives. Instead, we can have a greater impact by helping them see the way that their actions affect others, and offer patience and grace in their journey toward transformation. And if they clearly see the error of their ways and choose to continue the behavior, well, that’s another ball game altogether.”

“Then you destroy them!” Zach said eagerly.

Scotty smiled. “Not quite, but you make intentional efforts to prevent them from taking one more minute of your time or one more ounce of your energy. And if they come around, and they show proof that they’ve changed their ways, or at least a willingness to learn how —”

“You tell ’em too bad, so sad,” Zach said, like an evil villain from a movie.

“You offer grace and you give them a second chance, because we can all become a parasite, if only for a moment, when we’re selfish,” Scotty corrected. Zach sighed in defeat. “I mean, if you think about it, Drew created an environment where he welcomed broken kids who were takers, parasites of sorts, but he transformed us into suckerfish and eventually into sharks. We are all sharks. During my most miserable days, I was always focused on me only. Drew taught me to come alive by managing how I operate and how I manage relationships. The shark, the suckerfish, and the parasite represent three types of people who can make or break your life,” Scotty said with passion.

Paul’s brain felt like it was in overdrive, like he was dreaming. He felt like everything he had believed about himself, his family, his marriage, and Scotty was all wrong. He had scheduled this trip with a subconscious desire to check in on his “troubled” friend and compare his own success to Scotty’s. He had done it to show off his new boat, to make sure Scotty knew how successful he was. But now, in just a few short hours, everything had been turned upside down. He came on the boat feeling like a shark, a powerful and successful businessman who never took no for an answer, raising his son as another ruthless shark to continue his legacy. He came on the boat with the idea that Scotty was less capable, less successful, and less powerful than he was, that he was the victim of a lifetime of bad choices that led him to a mediocre life. But now, it was different. Paul did not feel like a shark. He felt exposed and small and embarrassed. He felt unsure of where he fit in the dynamic of the boat, and the dynamic of every other relationship in his life. His indifference toward others was not alpha, it was parasitic. His relentless forward movement in pursuit of success, regardless of the wake of disaster he left behind, was not that of a shark, but of a selfish parasite with no concern for others. Everything he did that he thought made him look intimidating, formidable, and powerful was actually flashing signs of his incompetence and insecurity. But there is hope for the parasite, Paul heard himself whisper. Who I am now, who I have always been, is not who I have to be, he thought, feeling a slight sense of relief.

“As I helped Drew close up the shop that night, I saw a shadowy figure approach the shop. Mako growled, and I was once again thankful for his protection.

“‘Hey, Drew?’ I asked, slightly nervous as the tall figure got closer to the front door. Drew didn’t respond, and I stayed tucked away, watching to see what the stranger did next. He came right up to the front door and knocked. He called out for Drew, which made me feel a little better, and then reached for the door knob. He twisted the knob and poked his head in and called for Drew again.

“‘Can I help you?’ I asked, pushing my chest out a little, walking with confidence.

“‘Uh yeah, hi, is Drew here?’ he asked, looking around, looking nervous. Mako stood in between me and the stranger, a low growl rumbling in his throat.

“‘Who are you?’ I asked, a little more aggressively than I meant to.

“‘Is Drew here?’ the guy asked again. I took a step toward him and asked again, ‘Who are you? What do you need?’ We all were protective of our shark. Before the stranger could answer, Drew appeared from the back.

“‘Ah, Jim. You’re here. Okay. Sorry, we can clean up and get out of here,’ Drew said, lacking the usual assurance in his voice. Jim stepped aside and avoided eye contact with me, but I stared right through him. We followed Drew out in silence; when Drew locked the door, I noticed his hands were shaking.

“‘See you tomorrow, Scotty,’ Drew waved to me, but he didn’t move. The guy stood with his arms crossed across his chest, watching me. It was clear that Drew didn’t want me to go, but I suddenly felt unsure. He waved me away again, with a little more persistence this time, so I got in my truck and pulled away. As I looked in my rearview mirror, I saw the two guys shaking hands before I turned the corner and they were out of sight.

“The next day, I got to the shop early, hoping to catch Drew before the 8 a.m. meeting and get the details on this random guy who had showed up the night before. The door was open, and when I peeked in I saw Drew sitting at his desk, so I half knocked and entered at the same time. I stopped in my tracks when I saw the stranger, Jim, sitting in the seat in the corner of the room, half hidden by the filing cabinet.

“‘Oh. Sorry, I didn’t … I uhh, I’ll come back,’ I said, backing out of the room with my hands up.

“‘No, no, it’s okay. Come in, Scotty,” Drew said as he motioned me into the room. I stood in the doorway, avoiding eye contact with Jim.

“‘This is Jim. We knew each other a long time ago. We haven’t … he and I … we just recently reconnected,’ Drew said, and I could tell he was being selective with his words. I nodded in acknowledgment at Jim, but he just stared at me. I disliked this guy already. Drew could probably see the confusion on my face, so he politely dismissed me, supposedly so they could wrap things up, but probably so I didn’t ask any questions or make things weird.

“A little while later, Drew walked Jim through the shop and out the front door. Drew reappeared, didn’t say a word, went into his office, and closed the door. At 8:05 when he didn’t open up for the morning meeting, I took it upon myself to lead the meeting and get the day started. We didn’t see much of Drew for the rest of the day. All day I was thinking, What the heck? Something ain’t right. I can feel it.

“Right at noon, CiCi surprised me with a picnic lunch wearing a sundress and suggested we head down to the water for lunch. The look in her eyes was flirtatious, and I had never cleaned up my station so fast in my life. We walked hand-in-hand toward the water and claimed a spot under a large tree. She laid out the blanket and I unpacked the basket and got us all settled. We … uhh … ” Scotty stopped, remembering who was listening to his story.

“We did a little cuddling … ,” he started, looking over at Brittany. She rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Anyway, she was laying there, her head on my chest, and I was playing with her hair. She asked about how my day was going, and I always loved how I could tell she was really listening. ‘And then the weird guy from last night was in your dad’s office this morning. Weird guy. I don’t like him,’ I told her.

“‘Who? What guy?’ she asked, sipping her lemonade.

“‘I don’t know. He showed up last night and your dad kind of sent me away. He was there this morning. Jim? I don’t —” But I couldn’t finish because CiCi sat up so fast I thought a bug had bit her.

“‘Who did you say?’ she asked, more serious than I had ever seen her.

“‘I … his name was Jim, I think. What?’ I asked, confused at her reaction. “‘Tall, skinny, shady looking?’ I said, searching her face for a reaction. She was still staring me down, not saying anything. “‘Babe? What? Who is it? Drew said he knew him from a long time ago?’ I asked, concerned. I put my hand on hers and she yanked it away.

“‘I have to go. Can you?’ she asked, motioning toward the picnic.

“‘Yeah, of course, I mean, but why?’ I asked, but she was already running toward the shop. I shoved everything in the basket and followed after her. I got to the shop just in time to see her swing open the shop door and disappear inside. I could hear her yelling from the shop.

“‘Why was he here?’ she yelled, and I could tell in her voice that she was crying. It took everything in me not to fly in there and scoop her up. I waited.

“‘CiCi, honey, calm down. I was going to tell you. It’s all news to me, too,’ Drew said, putting his hands up in surrender.

“‘You brought him here?’ she said, calmly and slowly.

“‘I. Yes. He wanted to talk and I thought I would give him the chance to tell his side of the story and—’

“‘What side of the story? What else do you need to know? He drove drunk and he KILLED MY BROTHER! What are we going to do next, sit down and have a beer with him? I am an only child because of him!’ she roared. Drew was silent. ‘Mom was never the same because of him! When he killed the baby he killed a part of her, too!’ she shouted, and then stood there, waiting for an answer. Before anyone could say anything else, she turned around to run out of the office but ran into me instead. She collapsed into me, and I have never wanted to protect someone so much in my life. I looked at Drew as I stroked her hair and he rubbed his beard with his fingers.

“‘Get me out of here,’ CiCi whispered into my chest. I grabbed her hand and we walked out of the shop. I waited for Drew to call me to come back, but he didn’t, so we got in my truck and headed to the beach.

“Turns out, this Jim guy left a bar one afternoon, drunk out of his mind. Got on the highway in Boca Raton and somehow found himself in Broward. CiCi’s mom was picking up CiCi’s brother from daycare. This was before CiCi was born. The baby died on impact, and her mom never really got through it—I mean of course, I can’t even imagine,” Scotty said quietly, looking over at Brittany. The boat was silent. “CiCi’s mom was a sweet lady, loved her family, but she was sad a lot, often kept to herself. Drew didn’t say much about it, but did mention that the loss of their son sent Deb, his wife, into a dark cloud of depression. She blamed herself for the accident. Even though CiCi didn’t know the baby, she mourned for her mom, who died emotionally in that accident. She hated watching Deb sob on the baby’s birthday or disappear for days on the anniversary of the accident. CiCi hated Jim for breaking her mother’s heart. Her spirit,” Scotty said in a quiet tone. “It was Drew’s job to run the shop, it was her job to manage the home. Drew could never cheer Deb up, so he found his joy and healing at work.”

“So why was this guy in the shop? How could Drew even be in the same room as this guy?” Paul asked.

“Apparently the guy did his time, became a model prisoner, really turned his life around. Went to AA in jail and out. Part of his treatment was seeking forgiveness from the people he hurt. So he had reached out to Drew and Drew agreed to meet him—you know the guy Drew was. Second chances and all of that.” Scotty shrugged. It was who he was; he was a great man with a great heart and couldn’t hold a grudge if he tried.

“That night when he came to the shop was the first time Drew had seen the guy since the day of the trial. Drew never talked about their conversation or what was discussed. Eventually, years later, CiCi agreed to talk to Jim and he apologized. She let him have it, though. She let him know exactly what she thought of him, and I sat by her the whole time, holding her hand. He let her go on and on, took it all, all the name calling and anger, and just took it. I could see the remorse in his face, and for a split second I saw him as a human instead of a monster. And then I saw him as a version of me, a very likely version of me if I hadn’t been scooped up by Drew. I could have just as likely had too much to drink and made a stupid decision and ruined my life or took someone else’s. That could have been me, I thought to myself, that would have been me. CiCi said what she had to say, listened to his apology, and we left. It would be years before she told him that she forgave him. That accident impacted CiCi’s relationship with her mom. That’s why CiCi is so passionate and why she and Brittany are so close.

“Mrs. Peters never got there, could never bring herself to come face-to-face with Jim. Even on Sundays at church, when the pastor talked about forgiveness, Deb would leave the sanctuary and sit in the car. Drew would try to get Deb to recite the Sacred Six but she refused. ‘Sharks always look up and never look down,’ Drew would say. Deb believed that her anger would keep her son’s spirit alive, but it slowly drained her. It was like sadness, bitterness, and anger had latched on to her like parasites and had laid eggs for years.

“This was the first time I completely understood what Drew meant when he talked about there being hope for the parasite. Someone is not destined to be a parasite forever—in fact people can be very selfish all the time or just sometimes. Unlike the nasty ocean organisms, people who are parasites can change, improve, even thrive. Jim was selfish and not concerned with the well-being of others in that stage of his life. He was broken and rough and left a trail of death and destruction everywhere he went. It may have taken a third of his life in jail to break through it, but he did it. He was surrounded by people who made bad decisions and instead of falling into that life, he sought out people who could give him the best chance of success. The people he could follow and trust. I mean if you think about it, Drew transformed me from a parasite to a suckerfish to now, well—”

“A shark,” Paul interrupted, finally turning to look at Scotty with validation. “Sharks don’t just swim, they SWIM. Sharks don’t operate like other fish. Jim got connected to a shark someplace,” Paul said in careful realization.

“Yeah, even in jail, there are sharks. People with a purpose and an others-focused attitude, truly remorseful and rehabilitated. And in prison he found mentors and Jim attached himself to them like a—”

“Suckerfish,” Paul said, the concept making his head spin.

“Right,” Scotty smiled. “Even in the darkest places, in the worst situations, in the aftermath of the worst you’ve ever been, you can find a shark. Sharks are everywhere; you just have to find them. And when you do, and you’re committed to the mutually beneficial relationship, you can radically change the trajectory of your life. Jim will always be the one who killed CiCi’s brother. He will always have to check the yes box for the ‘Have you ever committed a felony?’ question when filling out paperwork. There are lifelong consequences for his stupid decision that day, but that decision does not have to define him.

“His past, his selfishness, the way he treated others, and his mistakes do not secure him a spot in the parasite category for life. In AA, he is surrounded by sharks and suckerfish. He is taking his role as a suckerfish seriously, understanding the power of mentorship, and moving forward from his mistakes. Drew told me something about Jim that really stuck with me. He said, ‘It is not your past decisions that define you, it is your next one.’ This experience helped me understand the way a parasite can quickly take down the people around it, but also that it is not a life sentence if you choose change.”

Scotty was still impressed by how a tiny microscopic organism can teach someone so much about life and choices and hope. At this point, everyone was engaged in the story and Paul’s bobber danced slowly in the water, ignored.

“I have two questions, Scotty,” Paul stated. “First question: Who was Drew’s shark?”

“Easy. His mom, Professor Carter. She taught him everything. Her husband—his dad, ‘the parasite’—he was a womanizer and a smooth talker; when he took off, the first thing she did was go back to her maiden name. She didn’t want any affiliation with that sleaze bucket. She was left to fend for herself with her four boys. By going to the ocean with his mom and brothers, Drew developed a fondness for the ecosystem of the ocean and for sharks especially. In fact, the Sacred Six was based on many things his mom would say. Drew’s mom was the catalyst for the Sacred Six.”

“Second question,” Paul began. “Earlier you said that there is hope for the parasite. How does that work? How does someone so self-involved change their ways and rid themselves of that title?”

“Yes. There’s hope for the parasite. Like Jim, parasites just need to be shown how their attitude and their actions impact others. They need to be open to constructive criticism and be willing to make changes. Some parasites know that’s what they are and are fine with it. They have no intention of changing or bettering themselves or their company. HR departments know their parasites: they don’t work hard, they don’t impact the culture, and they complain and bring negative energy daily. Then they can hide behind unions and make false claims of harassment or racism or sexism. These things can happen, but a parasite can stir the pot with the best of them. When the leader is a parasite, that’s different ball game. The culture is horrible. There is no hope for someone who does not want to change and have a positive impact. Hope and change start with an acknowledgment of weakness and an open-mindedness to making hard choices that will lead to a happier, healthier, and more productive life. Make sense?” Scotty asked.

Paul processed the information, and nodded.

“Everyone ready to head back?” Scotty asked, suddenly feeling very tired. This day of fishing had turned into something much more than what he had expected. The way Paul and Zach were engaged in the story made Scotty feel that maybe, just maybe, they had absorbed some of the information and that Drew was still teaching his lessons from the grave.

Paul watched as Zach looked out over the water. He wondered if anything Scotty had said had moved him. He studied his son’s face, but could not tell whether he was deep in self-reflection or just anxious to get back to a place where he could charge his phone. He thought about Jim and how he had turned his life around, and wondered whether, if a drunk driver could turn his life around, maybe an absent, self-centered dad could do the same. He wondered if Zach had heard the stories about parasites and immediately thought of his old man. The thought made him cringe. But even worse, what if he doesn’t see it at all? Paul thought. What if, after all of this, Zach does not see that his mindset, the mindset that I’ve taught him, is self-fulfilling and misguided? What if he believes that his “me-focused” attitude is a sign of strength instead of an insecurity? Paul felt anxious, wanting to grab his son and undo all the damage, but wasn’t sure how. He felt helpless. He wasn’t sure he would be able to undo the toxic masculinity and selfish attitude he’d been so proud of just hours ago. This fishing trip had turned into a life-changing seminar.

Zach looked out over the water. He could feel his dad staring at him, but couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact. This was supposed to be a boring fishing trip with people he barely knew and a half-assed attempt at quality time with his dad. This wasn’t what he signed up for. He didn’t sign up for all of these stories and self-reflection. He wondered if his dad could see himself in any of the stories that Scotty told, or if he was too self-absorbed to even see that Scotty was practically describing him to a T. I learned some stuff today my dad never taught me. It felt good, too, it felt right, Zach thought to himself. Dad is just like grandpa. And if I’m not careful, I could end up like both of them. I mean, they’re not horrible people, but there are some things I know need to change, he thought to himself.

Zach wanted so badly to have his dad listen to him like Scotty did. He wanted his dad to ask him questions, to show him how to build a business with integrity, how to fall in love instead of just falling into bed with the first woman in a red dress and heels that approached him. He regretted the way he would dismiss his mother as soon as his dad popped into the picture. He reached for his phone to text her, but remembered that he needed to charge his phone. I don’t care if he sees it or not. I’m not going to be a damn parasite, Zach thought, feeling angry and determined and confused all at the same time. I don’t know if my dad took any of this in, but I see it. And if Jim can turn his life around, I can, too. And Dad can, too. I just have to figure out how, he thought, feeling a little more confident. He finally turned and met his dad’s stare. Zach wasn’t sure, because he had never seen it before, but something was different about his dad’s eyes. They looked glassy, almost watery. The sight immediately made his eyes burn, so he looked back over the water. Maybe he got it, Zach thought, and felt himself smiling.

Paul broke the loud silence. “Ya know, I get Drew now. I totally get Drew now. Here is a guy who never really knew his dad, and lost his son, too. Talk about feeling empty. He must have hurt inside and felt a void, so he did need suckerfish. Maybe consciously he didn’t even know he needed a suckerfish; he just knew he needed to fill that void. You and the other AC techs became like the sons he never had, and he wanted to give you guys the dad you never had. That’s why being a great father and mentor was so important to Drew. In fact, Scotty, I feel like I can really see where Drew was coming from, understand his heart. And, on behalf of Drew, I do think it is safe to say you were the special son he never had. I’m confident Drew is in heaven and so proud of you. You are carrying on his legacy of the Sacred Six,” Paul said, putting his arm around Scotty’s shoulders. “In just a few hours, you have changed my life, Scotty. I mean it. And I am proud of you too, my man,” Paul said, wrapping Scotty in a hug.

Brittany watched in amazement as the two men hugged. Her annoyance and frustration subsided, and her heart instantly softened toward the big, arrogant jerk. She suddenly saw Paul differently, his transparency instantly touching her heart. She saw the small damaged boy on the inside of him, desperate for attention and validation. She stood up and joined in on the hug. Scotty just blushed with pride. Zach thought about it, but decided to watch from afar instead, still cautious and confused.