This was written a couple of years ago in an April. It was published in the local paper. This is a true story, the names have not been changed. <smile>
Sunday was here. The first one in the spring that was warm enough to play outside. Papa wanted to go fishing at a local park and the boys couldn’t wait. DadOfAllTrades purchased his fishing license and Papa got the bamboo rods. “Must learn on these first before you cast!!” Says Papa. I am grateful for this slice of wisdom because I do not want to imagine the result of a three year old trying to throw a fishing rod around with a barbed hook on the end. At least I have a well-stocked first aid kit in the trunk.
We gather worms from LegoMaster's and Buzz’s worm farm (a whole other essay) and off to the lake we trek. It is a balmy 50 degrees, but it feels really great to be out in the sun again after so many months of snow. The boys are so excited that they can hardly wait to unwrap their poles and throw in a line. Papa casually remarks that we should have brought the boys life jackets and DadOfAllTrades and I giggle. We try a deck that is about six feet above the water and catch nothing. Here is where I say that fishing can be boring, but can you imagine what it feels like being 5 and 3? I however have a new appreciation for watching my boys with their father and grandfather. Great mentoring moments and I am reminded again how much like his dad LegoMaster can be. Big sappy smile on my face. Then Buzz drops the rod in the water and we have to figure out how to get it. No one brought hip waders. “It happens. We’ll get it.” I say to Buzz, who is not so sure. DadOfAllTrades saves the day by fishing (pun intended) it out and off we go.
We decide to move to the other side of the pond when other park walkers tell us that the last fisherman said he too had no bites. We trek over to the other side of the pond being careful not to step in the dog poo-why don’t people pick up after their animals? Yuck. This deck is about a foot and a half above the water with an extra board around the sides, no railings. As a mom, I am feeling some worry, but what are the odds? We are successful!! DadOfAllTrades reels in a four incher and the boys gawk at the greatness of it. Papa quickly fills the bucket with pond water, unhooks the fish and lets it recover from its shock while in the bucket. LegoMaster and Buzz hover over the sides like proud parents looking in a bassinette. The fish is fascinating for a couple of minutes, then back to putting the lines back in the water.
A minivan slowly drives by and stops. Uh-oh. Cre8tiveMamma does not have a fishing license, but Papa quickly takes the pole out of my hands and assists Buzz. After a couple tense seconds, we find out that it is the editor of the local paper out getting some spring photos and is wondering if he can take ours. Absolutely! I have not yet had all of my 15 minutes of fame. Shoot away. Photos snapped and we return once again to the watching of the bobbers. Cre8tiveMamma, and Buzz if you count that it was his rod, catch another fish that swallows the worm and hook too far. He does not make it, we think, because we put him back in the water so to not have to do some explaining about life and death. We can always cover that topic later. In total an hour has passed and even patient LegoMaster is getting restless. We decide on fishing until the hooked worms are gone then heading home.
Buzz thinks this is great because he can then play with the worms that have managed to escape being fish bait today. He pulls one out and stretches it, asks it “How are you today?”, and in general tortures it like any three year old would do. He asks if he can throw it in and Cre8iveMamma says OK. After being the forever-teacher and asking for the prediction of sink-vs-float, the worm drops. Wow, it sinks. A whole 4 inches or so to the murk at the bottom of the water. The water is just clear enough for us to make out the whitish form of the worm declaring its freedom. Buzz goes to grab another worm while Cre8tiveMamma watches to see if a fish will eat it before her very eyes.
SPLASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cre8iveMamma witnesses Buzz do a half gainer into the water, landing first on his back and then flopping his legs over summersault style. I am sure the others saw it in slow motion as I did, but as I was already staring at the water, it was in my full view. Lightningfast, I reach off the deck to rescue my son, grabbing Buzz by the back of his soggy coat. I am of course praying that Buzz does not drown, but a second, equally loud prayer is one that involves me not getting wet also. Luckily, I do not fall in, but have the where-with-all to yell out “GRAB MY LEGS!!” Someone does so-either Papa or DadOfAllTrades, I am not sure. We drag Buzz out. He is crying “I’m Cold!” so we strip him down to his skivvies while Papa removes his own hoodie so we can wrap that around Buzz. He is covered with dirty pond water and the flakes of the black yuck of the bottom of an inland lake. Because of the smell I am assuming that this “dirt” is decaying leaves, rotting fish and goose poo. Papa is freaked and immediately begins taking apart the rods and gathering tack. DadOfAllTrades and I try to calm Buzz down, and LegoMaster is just staring. Buzzis the most upset about his boots. “They’re wet!” He chuffs out between sobs.
Eventually we get Buzz in the car, naked with a towel wrapped around tender parts. He asks for his sunglasses. I assume that is so the paparazzi cannot get a look at his horrified face.
On the way home, I have to resist every urge to begin guffawing. Now that everyone is safe and dry, so-to-speak, the adrenaline has worn off and I am beginning to see the situation as an outsider. I am beginning to remember the immediate thoughts. When Buzz began to thrash around (in 4 inches of water) a great black cloud rose to the surface. It was probably some really organically rich pond sediments, but I thought “now how did an octopus get here?” Really, I did. LegoMaster is beginning to question what happened now and I cannot even turn my head or look at DadOfAllTrades for fear of bursting out in peals of laughter. Thank goodness DadOfAllTrades had the head in the family and is handing everything well, but I can still see the side of his face and I know that he is also smiling.
After Buzz has been scrubbed, at dinner LegoMaster says something about Buzz falling in the water again. Buzz seems to be taking it well so DadOfAllTrades takes this as a teaching moment and says to LegoMaster “Now you now what was in the water, down there.”
And Sam, with a straight face, replies “Yeah, my brother.”
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