Lessons of the World
Intermission #2- Fishing
Deep in the heart of the mysterious, wooded, and highly misunderstood landmass known as Mississippi, tucked between the hillbilly foothills of Alabama and the alligator bayous of Louisiana, it was a hot, dry August day.
The Swampy Run River wasn’t really a river at all; it was more or less wide, shallow creek with a need for speed. Rumor has it that the area locals had nothing really impressive or important to lay claim to, so they decided that “river” sounded a lot more impressive and important than just “creek”.
And so, on this very “river”, two men were busy spending the day fishing about two hundred yards apart from each other. The older of the pair had taken to sitting on a rock in the middle of the main current while the younger had found a nice, shady spot on a fallen pine log that hung several yard over the river. The sun sprinkled them with its warmth as it wormed its way through the leafy tree canopy.
Ancient Wen blew two clouds of sweet smelling cigarette smoke out of his nostrils and looked at his apprentice perched, like a bird, on the log downstream. Cupping a wrinkled hand to his mouth, he yelled out, “Oi! Young Joseph! How goes the fishing?”
Joseph snapped out of his daydream and rubbed his eyes. Resting his fishing pole across his knees, he glanced at his nearly full stringer of fish. “Eh. It’s going so-so, sensei. How about you?”
Ancient Ween held up his empty stringer, chewing on his snow white mustache. “Could be better. Could be worse.” He scratched a knee. “I’m just enjoying the nice weather.”
Joseph nodded. He cast his bait back into the water and began reeling it back in. Suddenly, something shiny green engulfed the bait in one swallow before plunging back into the murky depths of the creek. Joseph quickly set the hook with a grunt and began playing the fish out, trying to tire it out. The young apprentice judged the fish to be massive by the way it tugged and hauled at the line. He dared not stand up on the log for fear of being yanked into the water.
He chewed on his lip, contemplating his next move. “Sensei! Uh, could you come help me out, please?”
Ancient Wen craned his neck around to face Joseph. The old man grinned as he saw the kid struggling with the fish. He waved of Joseph’s pleas and went back to smoking on his cigarette. “You can handle it, young Joseph. Just gotta know when to pull and tug to get what you’re after.”
Joseph sighed. He was going to have to do this one on his own, just like all the tests Wen had put him through before. As he played the fish out, the apprentice couldn’t help but grin to himself; this was exactly like one of Wen’s tests. Maybe it would be a test of his Will along with his Physical Strength to land this massive fish.
Forearms flexing, Joseph began cranking the rod as hard as he could while still minding the tautness of the fishing string. He didn’t want to lose a prize this big.
He wasn’t just after the fish.
He was after bragging rights.
Ancient Wen watched Joseph with an amused gaze. He tapped the ash off of his cigarette and began a slow count down from five. Bending down low, the old man trailed a hand in the fast moving current of the Swampy Run River. Suddenly, there was a high-pitched pop, followed by a curse, then a splash. Wen’s gnarled fingers clasped around the upper lip of the giant catfish’s mouth, and, with a powerful heave, he hauled it clear out of the water.
He cast a grin at Joseph. “Guess I have bragging rights again, young Joseph, eh?”
Joseph bobbed up and down in the water, grabbing onto the log to keep him afloat. He spat out muddy water and stuck his tongue out at his sensei.
A/N: Jeez. I dunno what’s up, but I feel like this is lacking a tad. *shrugs* Ah well. Next up, the Nature Lessons!
Please leave a few reviews.
914Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z1KPVPlvx
