Something I wrote, ten years ago, on a salt water fishing board of which I'm a member:
Ode to a Reel
Sunday 8/13/00 @ 4:30 p.m. CST
Okay fellas: I did it, I love it, I need some more of it!
Our daughter-in-law had a garage sale and on a whim I put a bunch of old rods and reels, tackle, and what nots in the mix. I ended up with enough disposable green to buy something from my wishlist.
I purchased a Shimano Curado reel Saturday morning. Put a practice plug on it at the house, cast two times, and with a glazed look in my eye, told my wife I was headed to Texas City!
Met up with John about sunset and just started chunking! Top Dogs, spoons, plastics, everything in the box. Tweaked the reel, pulled a couple of minor birdsnest out, tweaked some more... and then it happened! I remembered what it was to be 15 and in true love for the first time!
I sat through the night and caressed her, yes I admit when it got late I covered her in the finest reel cover my
money could buy and gently laid her beside me in the seat of the truck as we waited for the sunrise.
At 5:30 in the morning I felt the stirring of dawn's edge and gently woke her. “Are you ready?”, I asked. “Yes!” and with that we were off. Black and silver Top Dog tied on and slowly we slipped into the water. As if as one the reel, lure and I cast ourselves into the sea. Our spirits reaching toward the goal. Just one I prayed, let me have one.
As the sun started to rise I noticed a strange thing happen to her appearance. She went from a deep green almost black, to a shimmering mixture of colors playing across my hand. Purples, coppers, flecks of gold. My heart sang with a joy I'd not found in fishing for so long!
Did we catch that fish? Yes...yes we did! But I'll not tell what it was. It was our first...and it is our secret.
Every time I read this I want to light up a cigarette when its over.
