Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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The Fate of Two Sons. The recent incident in Venezuelan waters reminded me Of my Antioch Coop job (1963) at a whale processing plant in California. I was hired as a Federal employee to collect samples From whales taken in that Pacific area, during the closedown Of the last USA whaling station near Point Richmond. (During that time, my brother, John, 20 years old, Had been shot in the back by a hunter, perhaps miles away, Who fired in the air, with no backing to shield the bullet's trajectory. There was no sound as he dropped to the ground.) Filmed by his father, a son with his packraft Was taken into the mouth of a whale! "I saw blue and white; I felt slime against my face and smelled the bad breath." "I was released and I and my rubber boat were again on the surface!" Father and son had been paddling to a nearby island to explore. When asked if they would attempt to venture there again, They both agreed they would definitely try once more. The Humpback Whale could not have been able to swallow him, He being spared because of the whale's narrow throat. If one were swallowed (only possible by a Sperm Whale), The acids in the four stomachs and lack of air would have been fatal. My brother was lost and this young man was wonderfully spared. Frank Maurer 14 February 2025 2310 Hours.