I had to include this heading artwork from Jon Arfstrom. I'm still not sure how it represents the story, but it looks fun!
On to this short science fiction story now, this is Jimmy's story of living on the river with Uncle Al and Pigtail, his sister. Uncle Al and Pigtail are fun characters, Uncle Al is a good ole boy and Pigtail is just a typical sister that Jimmy loves to annoy. The author does do a good job of setting the scene on a Mississippi River with riverboats and the shanty boat that Jimmy and his family lived on. All the characters on the river also speak in a Southern/Cajun dialect. I've never read any science fiction short stories with this sort of dialect, so that was interesting.
Now there is not a lot of action or big plot in this short story which is why I wish it was longer and more expanded on. The story is a feel good one though. There is flying saucers and Jimmy has quite an experience which you will have to experience yourself when you read it. It definitely was not what I was expecting. A theme that this story leaves with us is the beauty of simplicity and a return to simpler times. I will leave you with this quote from the story: "In our childhood we must return to the scenes of our past, to take root again in familiar soil, to grow in power and wisdom slowly and sturdily, like a seed dropped back into the loam which nourished the great flowering mother plant."
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