Karma and the one that got away.
As Karma would have it. Dear old dad and mom too of course got saddle with 3 daughters. No sons for them to go hunting and fishing with. No sons to pass the old pigskin with so as karma would have it ... I was for all intents and purpose's I was their only "son/tomboy" So I was dear old dad's right hand girl when it came to fixing cars, going fishing and other things. I even caught my first fish with a kid size fishing pole that came with an orange plastic fish only dear old dad added a real hook and worm to allow me to fish for real. When I was was a wee lass I had a big imagination, so when I hear the bullfrog croaking late in the evenings during our dad and daughter fishing trip. My overactive imagination thought bullfrog oh snap they must be huge as in as big as a bullfrog some my answer to imagine I conjured up was to say "Daddy I hear the bullfrogs talking." and " Do you know what they are saying?" "What?" Dear old dad would ask. "Well daddy they are saying it is time to go home." I would say. This way dear old dad would think I was not a big chicken like I really was deep down inside.
I guess after many years had passed dear old dad figured that at 14 I had outgrown this silly fear and it was safe to once again take me fishing. So, on a sunny summer day we arise with the sun to make our trip to the local fishing hole. We stop for bait,worms were our choice of bait on this day. We got the boat in the water no trouble,in the boat we climbed. We motor out to a good spot we get our poles out and get ready to bait our hooks. Dear old dad at the front of the boat me at the back. He drops his line in I pick up my pole go to grab my hook at the end of the line when the hook seems to have a mind of its own and proceeds to swing in the opposite direction I gently swing it back where it instantly hooks itself into my pants. I reach down to unhook it thinking how hard should it be,Only the hook is stuck deeply embedded into the fibers of my jeans. I tug and pull but to no avail "Um, dad." I say "I seem to have a problem." " Having a little trouble baiting your hook?" He asks "No,I seemed to have a hook stuck." "Stuck?" Dad asks while whipping around in the boat."Stuck,where?" "Oh no where serious just my jeans but I can't seem to get it out." Dad reaches over and tries to pull the hook out but it really seems to be in there. Dear old dad "fishes" around in the old tackle box and some our with a pair for flat headed pliers type thing used to skin catfish with. With a tug and several pulls the hook comes out. I grab a worm jam him onto my hook and drop my line into the water.
After what seems like hours but is only minutes I get a bite but as karma would have that little fish was quick he wasn't falling for the old worm on a hook trick he was only there to steal the worm from the hook. I have to haul my line out of the water and add some fresh bait, hopefully without hooking my pants this time. I bait the line with ease and swing it out to drop it in the water when oops I smacked dear old dad in the back of the head with my baited hook, lucky for me and the worm dad thought it was a pesky fly and not me. Until now this little secret has been between the worm and I.
I finally caught a fish. I drop him in the live well after dear old dad takes him off the hook of course, I turn to grab another worm when in slow motion the container of worms tips over and ka-plunk falls in the bottom of the boat I try to pick them up but who knew worms could flip and flop around like that. About that time dear old dad says. "How about handing me another worm this one is a little water logged." I try to grab one but he seems determined to try and make his escape. Dear old dad turns around and says " Where is my worm?" Um, I seem to have a worm problem." "Are they all dead already." " No." I say "They are very much alive." I scramble around in the boat to try and at least grab one. At last I catch Mr. Worm and hand him over to dear old dad.
After we have fed the fish their fill of our worms. Dear old dad and I decided it is time to head home. Off we go to the were we left the truck. I stand on the river bank holding the boat while waiting for dear old dad to back the truck and boat trailer up. But he seems to be have trouble with getting the truck to crank. Seems we are parked on a very steep hill. Dear old dad mumbles some words and says something about gas tank, gas and the hill. I don't remember what he did to get the old trunk started but after about 30 minutes he gets the truck in to starting and backs it down the hill to were the boat awaits.
"Well." Dear old dad says we seem to have run into a problem I can't drive the boat up on the trailer and drive the truck out of the water too." He tells me(did I mention I was not old enough to drive yet.) I am going to pull the truck up just a tiny bit. "Okay." Dear old dad says hop in the truck roll down the window and when I say ok give it a little gas and pull the truck and trailer up the hill,then stop."
I am nervous I am not sure what kind of power the truck had. "But I was game." I hop in the truck,roll down the window stick my head out and wait for the signal." I check the rear view mirror, adjust it. "Okay." dear old dad says.
I jam my foot onto the gas,the truck flys up the hill dear old dad hangs on in the now airborne boat for his dear old life. As I bounce up the hill I think to myself I wonder when I am supposed to put the break on dear old dad did not mention when I was supposed to do that. Well right now seemed to be a good time. SOOOO I jammed my foot on the break.The truck comes to a screeching halt,dear old dad come to a cussuing stop. He hops out of the boat and walks up to the truck and says. "What the hell." I said move forward a little. "Well I know." I said "But you forgot to mention the part about when to hit the brakes."
"So dear old dad." I say "Do I get to drive home?" "Ha,Ha Very funny." dear old dad says.
On our way home I turn to dear old dad and say"So do you want to this again next weekend?"
I guess after many years had passed dear old dad figured that at 14 I had outgrown this silly fear and it was safe to once again take me fishing. So, on a sunny summer day we arise with the sun to make our trip to the local fishing hole. We stop for bait,worms were our choice of bait on this day. We got the boat in the water no trouble,in the boat we climbed. We motor out to a good spot we get our poles out and get ready to bait our hooks. Dear old dad at the front of the boat me at the back. He drops his line in I pick up my pole go to grab my hook at the end of the line when the hook seems to have a mind of its own and proceeds to swing in the opposite direction I gently swing it back where it instantly hooks itself into my pants. I reach down to unhook it thinking how hard should it be,Only the hook is stuck deeply embedded into the fibers of my jeans. I tug and pull but to no avail "Um, dad." I say "I seem to have a problem." " Having a little trouble baiting your hook?" He asks "No,I seemed to have a hook stuck." "Stuck?" Dad asks while whipping around in the boat."Stuck,where?" "Oh no where serious just my jeans but I can't seem to get it out." Dad reaches over and tries to pull the hook out but it really seems to be in there. Dear old dad "fishes" around in the old tackle box and some our with a pair for flat headed pliers type thing used to skin catfish with. With a tug and several pulls the hook comes out. I grab a worm jam him onto my hook and drop my line into the water.
After what seems like hours but is only minutes I get a bite but as karma would have that little fish was quick he wasn't falling for the old worm on a hook trick he was only there to steal the worm from the hook. I have to haul my line out of the water and add some fresh bait, hopefully without hooking my pants this time. I bait the line with ease and swing it out to drop it in the water when oops I smacked dear old dad in the back of the head with my baited hook, lucky for me and the worm dad thought it was a pesky fly and not me. Until now this little secret has been between the worm and I.
I finally caught a fish. I drop him in the live well after dear old dad takes him off the hook of course, I turn to grab another worm when in slow motion the container of worms tips over and ka-plunk falls in the bottom of the boat I try to pick them up but who knew worms could flip and flop around like that. About that time dear old dad says. "How about handing me another worm this one is a little water logged." I try to grab one but he seems determined to try and make his escape. Dear old dad turns around and says " Where is my worm?" Um, I seem to have a worm problem." "Are they all dead already." " No." I say "They are very much alive." I scramble around in the boat to try and at least grab one. At last I catch Mr. Worm and hand him over to dear old dad.
After we have fed the fish their fill of our worms. Dear old dad and I decided it is time to head home. Off we go to the were we left the truck. I stand on the river bank holding the boat while waiting for dear old dad to back the truck and boat trailer up. But he seems to be have trouble with getting the truck to crank. Seems we are parked on a very steep hill. Dear old dad mumbles some words and says something about gas tank, gas and the hill. I don't remember what he did to get the old trunk started but after about 30 minutes he gets the truck in to starting and backs it down the hill to were the boat awaits.
"Well." Dear old dad says we seem to have run into a problem I can't drive the boat up on the trailer and drive the truck out of the water too." He tells me(did I mention I was not old enough to drive yet.) I am going to pull the truck up just a tiny bit. "Okay." Dear old dad says hop in the truck roll down the window and when I say ok give it a little gas and pull the truck and trailer up the hill,then stop."
I am nervous I am not sure what kind of power the truck had. "But I was game." I hop in the truck,roll down the window stick my head out and wait for the signal." I check the rear view mirror, adjust it. "Okay." dear old dad says.
I jam my foot onto the gas,the truck flys up the hill dear old dad hangs on in the now airborne boat for his dear old life. As I bounce up the hill I think to myself I wonder when I am supposed to put the break on dear old dad did not mention when I was supposed to do that. Well right now seemed to be a good time. SOOOO I jammed my foot on the break.The truck comes to a screeching halt,dear old dad come to a cussuing stop. He hops out of the boat and walks up to the truck and says. "What the hell." I said move forward a little. "Well I know." I said "But you forgot to mention the part about when to hit the brakes."
"So dear old dad." I say "Do I get to drive home?" "Ha,Ha Very funny." dear old dad says.
On our way home I turn to dear old dad and say"So do you want to this again next weekend?"
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