Re: continued -- West Coast Angler

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Date Posted: 21:09:08 01/17/00 Mon
Author: hd
Subject: Re: continued
In reply to: hd 's message, "continued" on 21:04:00 01/17/00 Mon

SMOKE FROM THE OLD MAN'S CIGAR FILLED THE AIR AND SIMON
STARED AT HIS NICOTINE STAINED FINGERS. THEY WERE FAT AND WEATHERED...A WORKING MAN'S HANDS. GUS WAS OLD BUT NOT SLOW-MINDED. HE KNEW SIMON WELL AND COULD EMPATHIZE WITH THE LAD'S TALE.
"HOW BIG WAS HE?" GUS ASKED AGAIN, ALREADY KNOWING THE ANSWER.
"AT LEAST SEVENTY-FIVE POUNDS...MAYBE EIGHT-FIVE." RESPONDED SIMON.
"THAT'S A RESPECTABLE BASS. DID HE HAVE THOSE
LINES ACROSS HIS BACK?" GUS KNEW WHITE SEABASS LOST SOME OF THE MARKINGS ON THEIR BACKS AS THE GOT LARGER.
"I DIDN'T SEE ANY. IT ALL HAPPENED KINDA FAST" SIMON REPLIED. "WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THIS SIMON? THE OLD MAN ASKED. SIMON THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE. HE DIDN'T WANT TO ANSWER TOO QUICKLY. HE'D LEARNED ALOT FROM GUS. ALOT ABOUT
SPEARFISHING AND ALOT ABOUT LIFE. HE KNEW GUS WAS TESTING HIM.
"I NEED A SLIP-TIP," SIMON STATED MATTER OF FACTLY.
"A DETACHABLE SPEARHEAD WOULD HAVE HELPED BUT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO LOSE THAT FISH. WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE, WE DIDN'T HAVE SLIP-TIPS. HELL...WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE FACE MASKS. WE WORE
GOGGLES AND MADE OUR OWN SPEARS."
"WHAT ELSE COULD I HAVE DONE? I DID EVERYTHING RIGHT. IT WAS A PERFECT SHOT, JUST BEHIND THE HEAD. I FOLLOWED THE FISH AND DIDN'T PULL ON THE LINE. I WENT DEEPER THAN EVER BEFORE. WHAT ELSE COULD I HAVE DONE GUS?!" SIMON'S QUESTION WAS HALF CURIOSITY, HALF DEFENSE.
"YOU LOST THAT FISH FOR ONE REASON...YOU SHOT TOO SOON. YOU GOT EXCITED WHEN YOU SAW THAT FISH AND FIRED BEFORE HE WAS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR THE SHAFT TO PASS COMPLETELY THROUGH THE FISH. PATIENCE. WHAT AM I ALWAYS TELLING YOU ABOUT PATIENCE? YOU GOT TO WAIT. WAIT UNTIL THE FISH IS SO CLOSE, YOU CAN ALMOST REACH OUT AND TOUCH HIM."
SIMON KNEW HE WAS RIGHT. HIS HEAD DOWN, HE NODDED HIS AGREEMENT TO GUS.
"THAT'S OKAY KID. IT HAPPENS TO ALL US GREAT FREE DIVERS ONCE." SIMON LIFTED HIS HEAD WITH A HUGE SMILE.
"GREAT FREE DIVERS? ME? REALLY? YOU THINK I'M GREAT?"
THE OLE MAN PUFFED HIS CIGAR AND PUSHED HIMSELF BACK IN HIS CHAIR. HE STARED INTENSELY AT THE BOY. HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT.
"LISTEN SIMON," THE OLD MAN WHISPERED, "YOU'RE ALREADY BETTER THAN I EVER WAS. YOU WENT DEEPER, STAYED LONGER, AND SHOWED MORE COURAGE THAN I EVER DID WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE. YOU STAYED DOWN TO GET THE FISH. YOU RISKED DROWNING. THAT
TAKES COMMITMENT. YOU GOT THE STUFF OF GREATNESS IN YOU KID...DON'T EVER FORGET IT."

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Replies:

Re: continued -- hd, 21:10:42 01/17/00 Mon
- Re: continued -- hd, 21:13:13 01/17/00 Mon
  - Re: continued -- hd, 21:14:34 01/17/00 Mon
    - end -- hd, 21:15:21 01/17/00 Mon
      - Re: end -- saltwaters, 16:28:00 01/19/00 Wed