Conclusion


For the next 20 or so minutes we chatted and explored not only our safe haven but also learned more about each other. A comment here, an observation there, a story or two and we all began to relax as the storm moved through. After the rain ended and the waves subsided, we all recognized that something special had just taken place. It was if the three of us – one aged 22, another 27 and a 57 year old man – had gone back in time to when it was a more innocent, simpler time. Think back to when you were kids and would camp out, either in the backyard or sneak off to the local pond. How you would build a campfire and tell stories and actually see the stars and all that nature has to offer (besides the mosquito). That you would notice that tiniest of creatures as Jeremy did and then all of you would circle round to view it and then let it go its own way. And all this just happened without planning or fanfare. And with the exception of the two of us using our Smartphones to take the frogs picture it was reminiscent of those boys in the movie, “Stand By Me” but I digress again...

Back to reality as here it is after 4 PM and we finally get back on the water and begin to fish. I set each of them up with a pole that had a two-hook set with a ½ ounce weight that Brian had made for me and with fresh minnows we began trolling. Now I had high expectations that we would get into some good sized Crappie as we trolled 11’ to 12’ deep in water from 16’ to 20” deep where I was marking fish but it was slow.

Now my son has the right attitude, and I learned Jeremy does too, and that is it’s not just about catching fish but about being out there. Yet, I like to be successful and see others do the same but the fish just weren’t cooperating. Maybe it was the fact the weather had dramatically changed what with the temps dropping from the 90’s to the 70’s or maybe the fish just moved on but I was very happy when Jeremy hooked a keeper that went 12”. And it grew from there where all of us at one time or another hooked two fish at the same time (even though they weren’t too big) for we were having fun and I was relaxing for the first time in a long while. And it was a non-stop conversation, whether it was between Jeremy and me or Jeremy and my son, it didn’t matter as I was a happy father listening to these two and getting to know Jeremy and him learning a little more about me.

Those 13” and 14” Crappie eluded us that evening but we gained something more than I had hoped for and that was we relaxed, opened up and enjoyed one another's company. We fished till it was dark and boated back to Eagle Creek where we saw a brilliant shooting star fall from the sky. It was an amazing touch to a pretty awesome day. Then I watched with some trepidation as Jeremy backed my Jeep and trailer into the water. He had me a tad anxious when he had the trailer at a 90 degree angle to the rear of the Jeep but he was able to get it straightened out and lined up for me to motor onto the trailer…eventually. Then we went through the checklist of getting ready to head home and were dodging more deer by 10 PM.

This is when it truly got interesting in that when I had asked Jeremy if he wanted to tag along, it was just going to be the two of us. And while he and my son had spent time together at my Ex’s home, the three of hadn’t really talked that much before today. And, as we drove home with the windows down - as the temps had dropped to 74-degrees - Jeremy rolled up his window and asked me what I thought about his buying my daughter an engagement ring. I have to admit, I had heard from my Ex that they had been discussing this possibility but as my daughter and I hadn’t talked much lately I wasn’t sure what to expect.

And call me old-fashioned, I feel that a man who wants to marry your daughter should be required to ask permission but I can’t imagine what Jeremy had been going through all afternoon as he looked for that moment to talk with me and here he has to do it with an audience in the back seat – my son – and all the road noise coming in through my open window. It was pretty quiet for second or two until I basically started to talk about what this means and then how well the two seems to complement each other which seemed to relax everyone a tad. Honestly, I never had given any thought of how to react to anyone asking me these questions except for the fact that they better ask me! And I hope my analytical response was encouraging as that was my intent and while we could not hug one another, a firm handshake was made in the darkness as I drove home on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 to ratify his request.

And as I dropped him off 30 minutes later, I wished him well and said I loved him which hopefully provided the acceptance he desired. All in all, it was memorable day and evening for all of us. I set out to catch some good size Crappie and ended up getting to know a young man who just might be a part of the rest of my life. I might not have got what I wanted but just maybe I got what I needed at this time in my life…what do you think?