YOUTH UNCASED


I crouched along the little stream and gazed down into the bottom of the pool. The water was crystal clear and about 4ft at its deepest point. At the tail-out of the pool the bottom was covered with what looked like dead leaves to the inexperienced eye. But to the trained eye of a 10 year old, savvy to the ways of the wild I knew better. I stepped into the water and felt the ice cold grip as it soaked through my high-top Keds.