Granby Drummer (https://granbydrummer.com/author/mark-fiorentino/)
Dear Santa:
Last time I wrote, we were nearing the end of 2020. And, oh my, what a year that was: impeachment proceedings, a global pandemic, Brexit. You must have had your hands full with the annual naughty-nice list. I hope the brownie toffee cookies we left for you provided at least some solace.
The dawn broke, filling the sky with burnt orange hues and our hearts with hope and anticipation. We’d done everything right and it was shaping up to be an epic day.
My best fishing buddies also happen to be my closest friends. We’ve known each other for years and are comfortable sharing our innermost thoughts. About fishing, I mean.
Many of my favorite childhood memories involve fishing. It’s what I did to escape the daily turmoil of growing up in our tumultuous, single-parent household. I never caught a single fish worth bragging about. But fishing was safe.
Today looked like it was going to be a great day. A trouble-free day for hanging out; for taking what comes my way. I guess, given my lot in life, I should have known better.
In February, I wrote about an interview with my daughter Ellie. I asked her questions on six topics: first fishing experience; largest fish; next bucket list fish; most fun; lessons learned; lessons taught. This month, I sat down with my son Gage and asked him the same questions.
Do you ever do this? Do you ever think about something you’ve experienced with your kids and wonder how their memory of the event compares to your own? Or compare a lesson you tried to teach with what they actually learned?
I was deep in thought the other day regarding the approaching holiday season, and I got to wondering: what was Frederick Austin thinking?
I fish for lots of reasons: quality time with friends and family; the opportunity to enjoy and learn about nature; the satisfaction of eating a fish I caught and prepared. But I am also drawn to the possibility of catching a remarkable fish, maybe even a state record.
You might think my fishing buddies and I have a certain level of sophistication and refinement. At a minimum, you’re thinking, enough to establish rules of etiquette that govern our behavior when we are out on the boat together.