Mom and Dad

Doyle Murphy: A telephone pole lies across the water, connecting one bank to the other.

On one side is the field where 7-year-old Sakai Daniels and Pastor Ed stand. On the other is the spot that separates two Scotchtown farm ponds — the spot where Sakai wants to fish. The little boy's eyes dart from the telephone pole to the far bank to Pastor Ed.

"I'm going to have to get on somebody's back or something," he says.

He's nervous. The path is narrow and a wrong step would send him tumbling off. He looks again at the pole, again at Pastor Ed.

The little boy is asking for help.