Raising A Human

Moshe greets the new day as the sun is breaking the horizon. He sees Mohag sitting on the cave’s floor with a thin stick in his hand. He is making drawings on the dirt floor. “Good morning Mohag, you are up early.”

Mohag smiles, “Moshe, come and see what I am doing.”

Moshe stands behind the boy and views the dirt sketches on the floor. Mohag is designing clothes and has sketched out patterns in the dirt. He has drawn three different styles. “Which should I make for you, Moshe?”

“I am very impressed with your presentation. This one...” Moshe points to a drawing. “Can you craft that one?”

“Yes Moshe, I can.”

“I shall begin our breakfast meal. You may work as you desire, on your clothing project. After our meal, and only if you feel safe, I will journey to the northern cliff. Do you feel safe to stay here at the cave, while I perform a hunt on the upper plateau?”

“I will work on my project, until you return, Moshe.” Mohag laughs, “You will have more to wear than a grass skirt!”

Moshe laughs, “And if I am successful, we shall dine on roasted pork, tonight.”

Their breakfast time is filled with conversation. Mohag explains that he must construct a few tools. The tools will be used to cut the blanket and reassemble it into a garment. Moshe offers several concerns about safety, sharp rocks, cut fingers, and such.

Mohag shakes his head smiling, “I have watched as you have worked with tools. I can do it without harming myself.”

Moshe rubs the boy’s head, “Okay then, I expect you to be unharmed when I return. So, my-not-so-little Mohag, you are developing some very useful skills. I am proud of you.”

He checks to see that there is enough water and food for Mohag. He does not plan to return for several hours. Moshe travels towards the cliff with his gear and weapons in tow. He walks towards the cliff. Mohag leaves the cave to gather some rocks and sticks from the forest.

Moshe thinks of the boy as he climbs the cliff. The wound on his shoulder is almost completely healed. The regenerative process of his biology is probably in line with his physical maturity. He ages quickly and he heals in the same fashion.

Mohag appears in size to be that of an eight or nine-year old child. His rate of growth seems to be about a year for every day. He will become an adult within a week or so. Then what shall become of them?

Mohag works at crafting his tools. He cuts the cloth of the blanket and sews it, using a fish bone and twine that he has gathered from the forest. He works with such seriousness. It seems that nothing else exists in the world.

Moshe attempted using a spear and the atlatl in his hunt. After missing his shot, three times in a row, he changes to his spear and is rewarded with his first throw. He gives thanks and prepares the pig before leaving the plateau. He knows that he should train the boy to hunt and prepare meat for meals. He plans to when he hunts again.

Mohag sees Moshe returning to the cave. He greets him at the entrance, holding the poncho style cloth, insisting that Moshe try it on immediately. Moshe leaves his catch and gear outside of the cave.

He slips the cloth over his head. It hangs down to his knees. He removes the grass skirt and takes the sash from Mohag. He ties it around his waist and spins around for Mohag to inspect him. “You did a great job on this Mohag, I am proud of you! This will serve me well.”

Mohag has other items for Moshe to see. He has created a rock hammer, larger and heavier than the one Moshe had made. He also displays the flat sharp rock that he used to cut the cloth. He speaks of his plan to mount the ax head to a handle.

“You have been very busy while I was away.” Moshe inspects the stitching of the garment pieces. “You sew better than I. How do you know to do this?”

Mohag begins showing the stitching on the pants that he is wearing.“I used this as a pattern, and I have seen your stitching on the fish trap. I used twine and a fish bone to attach the pieces.” There is pride in the boy’s smile. Mohag announces that earlier, he had begun a cooking fire, in the lower cave, as well.

“And you are either a very thoughtful person, or you are very hungry?” He rubs the boy’s head in affection.

Moshe carries his catch to the cooking cave. He hangs the pig up over the open flames, on a stick tripod. During his hunt, he had stopped to dig up some tubers that he had located. He thinks the roots are like sweet potatoes. He places the roots on flat rocks near the fire.

Mohag gathered enough leaf platters for their meal. He cuts some fruit and arranges it with berries on two of the platters. Moshe enters the cave carrying their main course. The pig and potatoes are placed on a platter of their own.

“Mohag, it is good to be thankful for the gifts that the island gives us. The island sustains us.” The boy smiles, shaking his head in agreement. Moshe announces, “To the wild creature, we thank you for the gift of nourishment that you provide. To this beautiful, paradise island, we are grateful for the bounty that you grow. Amen!”

“What does ‘amen’ mean, Moshe?”

“It is a word used religiously, it means, “so be it.” The boy’s eyes reveal that he does not understand. “The words of gratefulness that I spoke, a prayer, are a blessing which I offered to the creature and the land. By saying ‘amen’, I am further asserting the blessing. And it means that the prayer is over, and we now can eat!” They laugh together.

“And this is what other humans do also, Moshe?”

“No, not all of them. There are many different beliefs among humans. But I believe it is proper to live life with gratitude for the gifts and provisions that we receive.”

Mohag announces that this is the best meal that he has ever eaten. The potatoes went well with the roasted pork. They clean up and put away their dinner items. Moshe stores away the leftover food. Mohag adds fuel to the small fire pit.

The sun is setting and the two of them take their nightly positions. They sit around the fire, talk, watch the sun dip below the horizon, and behold the stars that are just beginning to shine.

“Moshe, can I ask you questions about your family?”

“Yes, Mohag, always.”

“When you spoke of living in the desert with your family, you seemed happy and peaceful. You lived in comfort with your family in the desert. You have spoken of the ‘modern human lifestyle’ that you experienced. I think that you are not at peace when you speak of living in cities. You said that it had ‘broken’ your father. I do not understand ‘broken’, Moshe?”

Moshe looks away from Mohag and stares into the sky, wondering if sharing the history of his family will help or hurt the boy. The child’s understanding is advanced. Perhaps Moshe is expected to teach the boy what it means to be human, the good and the bad.

“Well, my little Mohag, I will share with you, as you have asked. When my family lived in the desert, we were very happy. My father and mother provided for their children. We always had food and safety. The desert lifestyle is carefree and easy, compared to living among modern humans.”

“I always knew that our parents loved us and cared for us. My father taught me how to herd, hunt, build fires, and protect the tribe. He was a good man, a man of the earth, sensible and caring. But later, when we were forced to live in the city, everything changed. My father changed.”

“Moshe, the way that you describe your father, I think that he is like you.”

Moshe feels the warmth of the boy’s words. He rubs Mohag’s head. The boy smiles.

“My father did not know how to live in this new world. He found a labor job that paid him cash daily. For a short time, we began to adjust and establish a home among the city dwellers. We eventually moved into a house that had electricity and running water.

“My father began attending bars, after hours with his work friends. The alcohol called to him, and he could not turn away. But the drink made him mad. He became another person. Angry and vile was his attitude while he was under the effects of alcohol. And everyone around him, paid the cost.”

Moshe, his siblings, but mostly his mother, had received the brunt of the drunken man’s rage. Moshe remembers, and then pauses and gazes at Mohag. The boy is absorbed in Moshe’s words. He feels as if a dam inside him has broken, and the words are gushing out like a flood.

“There is one time that I remember, when I was in middle school. I came home and found my mother on the floor, crying and bleeding from my father’s assault. I was enraged and pulled him from his bed and into the street, striking him with my fist. All the painful times of seeing my mother take his beatings, finally arose in me, and allowed me to lash out at my father.”

Moshe’s face reflects the strong emotions which are stirring up in his heart. “My dear mother, she grabbed at my hair and clothing, pulling me off of him, begging me not to kill him.”

Mohag moves closer to Moshe and reaches out a hand and places it on his shoulder. He leans in and rests his head against Moshe’s arm. Moshe wraps his arm around the boy. “My father moved out of our house the next day. He could not suffer the shame. Overnight, I became the man of our home.”

“Though we were poor, and I struggled to maintain our provisions, peace returned to our family.” Moshe grows silent as his thoughts drift through the memories of those days, from so long ago.

“Some years later, while I was attending the University, I received a call from a relative. My father was ill, in the hospital, and not expected to recover.” Moshe’s sigh causes Mohag to reach and touch his hand. He returns the boy’s affection and gives him a tight hug.

“I went to see him, I wanted to honor him for being my father, for teaching me all that he knew. I wanted him to know that I remembered the good that was in him. I wanted him to know that I had forgiven him and that he need not live in shame. But his pride would not allow him, and he turned me away.”

Moshe slides around and sits across from Mohag, facing him. With misty eyes he says, “Mohag, thank you for asking these questions. I do not think that I have ever shared this story with anyone.”

Moshe makes a sigh of release, “You see my little Mohag, being a human comes with difficulties, at times. My father was broken by a lifestyle that was foreign to him and his people. His heart became sick and selfish. He hurt his family, but most of all, he hurt himself, and left the people who would have received him again. He died alone.”

“Moshe, I feel your sadness, you have lost others that you cared about. You have experienced difficult times in your life. But I have not understood the sadness in you, until now. I feel your happiness, that is why I am happy.”

Moshe grabs the boy in a hug. “Mohag, oh my Mohag, you are a precious child. Thank you for your kindness. I think that you are becoming a wonderful human being.”

Mohag asks, “Your father taught you things, just like you are teaching me. Moshe, are you, my father?”

Moshe looks into the child’s eyes. He has a serious expression, as if he just asks the most important question in the world. “Mohag, my child, I may be your father, but only if you want me to be.”

Mohag throws himself against Moshe in a wild hug, “Yes, Moshe, my father. Moshe, my father! I want you to be my father!”

Moshe grips the boy by his shoulders and looks into his eyes. “And I am proud that you are my son.”

During the night, Moshe hears Mohag rise from his bed. The lights have called to him, and he must respond. He follows his son to the beach. He watches Mohag rock and move with the rhythms of the lights. He follows him back to the cave when the ritual is over. Only when his boy is back safe and in his own bed, is Moshe able to lie down and go back to sleep.