The Fisherman and the Pelican

Date: 15/06/2026
All Rights Reserved by the Author

Every morning, a fisherman launched his small boat before sunrise.
As he prepared his nets, he noticed the same pelican waiting nearby.
At first, the bird kept its distance.
Over time, it became a familiar sight.
The pelican would watch patiently from a post near the water while the fisherman worked.
Neither seemed concerned by the other’s presence.
Years passed.
The routine continued.
Visitors to the harbor often asked about the bird.
The fisherman would simply smile and say, “My oldest customer.”
One stormy week, the pelican did not appear.
The fisherman found himself looking toward the empty post each morning.
Then, one calm day, the bird returned.
The reunion delighted everyone at the harbor.
Friendships do not always follow human rules.
Sometimes they develop quietly through trust, familiarity and shared routines.
The fisherman never owned the pelican.
The pelican never belonged to the fisherman.
Yet each had become part of the other’s daily life.
And that was enough.

Rajat Chandra Sarmah
Guwahati, Assam, India
email: rajatchandrasarmah@gmail.com
youtube: conversewithasmile