A FISHING STORY

I like the sunrise.
As I back my boat into the water...
I admire God's great creation, the forest.
The lake is pristine.
No one is here, but me.
My breath comes quickly,
as I tug and pull at things.
It's Monday morning. 6 a.m.
Most people are going to work.
Not me. This makes me smile.
I park my truck.
I quietly motor my bass boat to a secret hidden spot.
I try not to make any noise to spook the fish.
I just use a trolling motor.
No gas motor for me.
I beach the small bass boat on an island.
I light up a smoke, and pour a cup of sweet, black coffee.
I fish a sand bar, with a steep drop off.
The largemouth bass live here.
I use ultra-light gear.
Four-pound test line.
I want the battle to be an honest one.
I use night crawlers, no bobber.
I put a couple of split-shot sinker weights,
on my fishing line.
The fish strike at the worm sometimes on the fall.
I catch and release the fish.
I always average from ten-to-twenty largemouth,
in a morning.
They are beautiful.
The largemouth weigh between two and three pounds.
I talk to them kindly, when I let them go.
Around noon, I pick up my gear and head home.
It's only a twenty-minute drive.
I back the boat into my garage.
I go in the house to shower,
and wash the sweat, grime, and fish smell off my body.
I'm in the tavern by 2 p.m.
All the other construction guys are there too.
Tradesmen all...Machine Operators, Laborers, Concrete Finishers,
Laborers, Iron Workers, et all.
We didn't work today, 'cause it rained all weekend.
I order a shot of Blackberry Brandy, and an Old Style,
in the bottle.
I light a Marlboro red.
We watch a baseball game on TV, and flirt with Dawn,
the bartendress.
I loved these rainy days.
It was twenty years ago...but it seems like yesterday.
I never heard of anyone on his death bed saying that:
"I wish I had worked more hours in my life."
Every sunrise is worth its weight in gold.