CATCH AND RELEASE

Finally, the last day of school was over and the beginning of summer vacation was here. Looking out the school bus window, Joe started thinking and planning his unforeseen journey of future fishing days.

Getting off the bumpy ride on the yellow school bus for a long two-block walk to his house. He started his journey home by stumbling over a crumpled beat up red pop can laying on the sidewalk. While kicking the can, he was thinking about when to start the first day of summer fishing the lower Niagara River . Noticing his shoe coming untied, he sat on one knee to tie the lace and the neighbor kid riding with his older brother, pulled along side Joe and stopped.

The neighbor kid asked Joe, “Would you like to go fishing Saturday with me and my brother? We are launching our new boat at Fort Niagara for the first time.

Joe replied quicker than lightning, “YES!”

Running the rest of the way home and forgetting about that old crumpled up red can, Joe remembered he had an all weekend affair with his beloved girlfriend, Mary. It was the first anniversary of being together, and they were starting to have nice breakfasts Saturday mornings together.

Friday night came and Joe sat by the phone thinking of what to tell Mary when she calls. Letting the phone ring three times, he finally answers the phone hoping it was not Mary. But it was her, reminding him of tomorrow’s breakfast. In a shameless tone of voice, Joe bluntly replied, “I’d rather go fishing.”

Mary in a very calm voice replied, “It’s me or fishing and if its fishing!”…….. all a sudden there was silence and a click.

Joe looked down at the receiver understanding Mary’s anger, and whispers out loud to himself as he hung up the phone, “Mary there is plenty of other fish in the sea and I’m not a sucker.”

Meeting the neighbor kid at his house to help pack, Joe told him his problem and at the end he added “I’m sure going to miss her tonight, but, let’s go fishing!”

Arriving at the Fort Niagara launch area, the ugly situation did not hit Joe yet and proceeding to drive off with his friends brother’s brand new 16 foot boat into the sunrise. With the boat motor being shut down, they quietly glided to a twenty-foot depth into a calm eddy hoping to catch some Perch.

The hot sun warmed up their wind brut faces as they rigged their rods with crappie rigs and minnows for Perch. The fresh air mixed with exhaust fumes from the new 25 H.P. Mercury and with the birds chirping a melody in the morning mist, put Joe in a dreamy state. Being mesmerized by the rippling waves, Joe is thinking about no more warm hugs and warm smiles from Mary and OOPS! He thinks he’s got a bite!

The day ended at the neighbor kids house eating the days catch and telling stories.

Having a total of only 3 perch in the boat, the silence among them tested their patience to catch more fish. This just put Joe in another state of mind trying to convince himself to end this trip and get back to Mary. But that didn’t work. He would rather be fishing. He thought, oh, well, catch ‘em and release ‘em, there are always more fish in the sea.

Finally, Joe broke the silence in the boat by saying, “Lets motor up and go to another spot, there’s got to be more fish waiting to be caught in this sea.”

THE END

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