Just Like Granpa Taught Him

It was too hot now and he was hungry. Johnny had fished most of the afternoon - which he considered all day. A few small bream had nibbled at his bait, but they were too small to keep anyway. He pulled his cane pole in to check his bait and decided to move his cork up a bit and put on a fresh worm. If the water was anywhere near as hot as the air around him, the fish would go deep to cool off and he needed to be ready. Grandpa taught him that.

He slid further down the red dirt bank and sat on its cool moist dirt. He would love to just slide on in the water and forget the fishing. He pulled his cap down lower on his forehead and leaned back, just like Grandpa use to do.

Johnny sure wished Grandpa could go fishing with him now. They had been fishing buddies forever and had sure caught some good ones. Grandpa was kind of rough on him sometimes especially when he did dumb stuff like swishing the water with his pole or getting his hook caught in the tree limb. Grandpa was all business when it came to fishing. But Johnny had grown up a lot and he remembered what Grandpa had taught him. Grandpa couldn't make it down to the pond anymore since he had his stroke, but Johnny always filled him in on the fishing when he got back to the house. It made Grandpa smile that funny sad smile and sometimes he would laugh. Sometimes Johnny exaggerated a little to make Grandpa smile even more.

Johnny was sure feeling good sitting there in the cool dirt and thinking about Grandpa and fishing. His pole jumped, it sure did! Johnny sat up straight. Grandpa said you had to pay attention. The big one could hit at anytime. There it was again, but Johnny was ready this time and set the hook. He had him! It had to be a big one, that pole was bent almost in half. Johnny let him play the line, just like Grandpa said to do, and then started working him to the bank. He was holding on with all his might. Oh Boy! He wouldn't have to exaggerate this time. It was probably the biggest fish to ever come out of this old pond!

The catfish swam to the top and gave Johnny a good look at him. Johnny couldn't believe it. It was huge! And then something happened; he was gone. the line went limp, the pole straightened out and the big catfish was gone. Johnny almost wanted to cry. The line was flying in the breeze with no cork, no weight, no hook and NO fish.

Johnny grabbed his tackle box and headed across the dam up to the field. Grandpa wouldn't believe him, but he had to tell Grandpa so he could tell him what he had done wrong. Johnny's heart was so heavy he couldn't look up, he just shuffled along in his old tennis shoes and headed home. Johnny knew what was wrong, but he didn't want to think about it. That fishing line had been on that pole all through last summer and now half this summer. He hadn't wanted to take the time to change the line and put on a new hook and look what he missed. If had not been in such a hurry to get to the pond he would be bringing home a huge fish and a good story.

As Johnny got closer to home, he decided not to tell Grandpa about this fish. There was no need in both of them being downhearted. He would save it for another time when he was bringing home a catch and besides he didn't want Grandpa to know he hadn't taken care of his gear.

Grandpa was waiting on the back porch like Johnny knew he would be. He just smiled as Johnny walked by and said "better luck next time." Johnny shuffled past Grandpa and put his pole in the rack. "Yeah, it was really too hot this afternoon. I shouldn't have even gone down there early."

Johnny had been real quiet since coming in from fishing and Grandpa was pretty sure he knew what had happened. At the supper table Grandpa asked Johnny, "How big was it?"

"How big was what, Grandpa?"

"The fish that broke that line on your pole, how big was it?"

Johnny hadn't even thought about fixing his pole and he knew Grandpa noticed everything. "Grandpa that was the biggest fish I ever saw in that pond or any pond around here." And the story was told and re-told until bedtime and Grandpa didn't say one word about the old line on the pole. Grandpa knew Johnny was hurt over losing the fish and he also knew Johnny needed to put new line on the pole.

The next morning, Johnny found Grandpa on the back porch with Johnny's pole in his hand. Grandpa had put on new everything and it was ready to go again. Johnny put his arms around Grandpa and laid his head on his shoulder. Johnny didn't have to Grandpa he loved him or thank him for fixing up his pole or how much he missed him going to the pond with him - Grandpa knew, but Johnny told him anyway.

Late that afternoon Johnny headed back to the pond with his heart set on the big catfish. He wouldn't lose him this time; he would bring him in just like Grandpa taught him.