Salamander

Hey Pop, what's this? 

The tiny black and slimy lizard with the red dots was wiggling and squirming in my small hands. It's little eyes, looking at me with the same bewilderment that I looked at him.  I recall being afraid of picking it up from under the rock but my curiosity was overwhelming!  I've never seen anything like this before.  I had never seen so many rocks!  They were just asking to be overturned and explored!  As I remember, my Pop and I were on a small stream that my grandfather, Pop, was fishing. But, I was the one having fun! 

Growing up in the early 60's in a lower class neighborhood on the outskirts of a steel plant, I didn't have many trips to the wilderness and this was the wilderness.  Just like on tv, with cowboys and indians running about. 

I know Pop told me to put that salamander back where I got it from and don't break any ankles. 

A salamander, what's a salamander?  Look's like a worm with spots and legs to me.  I scrambled to and fro trying to find the exact rock that I found him under.  I put him back under a rock...but it took awhile, not really wanting to release it.  And besides, there were to many rocks to choose from and they all looked the same!  As I look back, I didn't fish that day.  I just explored along a stream, turning over more rocks and not breaking any ankles.