Sudden Fishing
One timeWhen I was like four, or maybe five. It was a Saturday. We lived in that duplex by the loop there in Lubbock.
It was Saturday reachin' on into Saturday afternoon. I had been out with my Mom.
Ya know, doing stuff.
It was just a regular day.
Nice, but regular.
When we got home from doing something, whatever it was that we had been out doing,
I was just futzing about, prolly playing in my room,
nuthin' special really.
Then my Mom called me into the kitchen. And I walked into the kitchen and there was my Grandfather.
Papa I called him. I remember being so excited to see him.
And the best of all was that he was there to pick me up and take me fishing.
How utterly unexpected. You might even say it was a surprise.
We weren't going far. Just to the lake outside of town.
I can't remember the fishing so much as the feeling. The feeling of being surprised.
The feeling that something unexpected and fun was happening and it was just me and my Papa.
going fishin'
The feeling that someone was thinking about me and planned a little surprise, just for me and him.
I don't remember how many fish we caught. Or even if we took the boat or not.
But we went that Saturday afternoon, just me and Papa.
And we went fishin'.
Whenever something like that happens, something unexpected, and fun, and seemingly planned just for me, I think about that day.
They took him home last night. My Mom says that he is resting very peacfully. They have a hospice nurse around the clock. They are giving him morphine, and valium, and something to dry up his congestion. No wires or plugs, just drops under the tongue. He hasn't spoken since Monday, but when he heard the living room clock chime, when they got him home, he opened his eyes and kinda smiled like he knew where he was.
I hope he passes soon.
I hope there is a heaven and I hope that he feels young and healthy when he gets there.
