Thread: Billy and The Kid

Good job WB.

I will wait till the end before I give you anymore grief. :D

I can't believe I'm about to say this......but I hope its stays hot and fish get lock jaw so these chapters will keep coming. Good job WB

Originally Posted by rwindis

I can't believe I'm about to say this......but I hope its stays hot and fish get lock jaw so these chapters will keep coming. Good job WB

oh dear, ________ has frozen over!

Chapter 9

William and Billy went back at it. Billy climbed back up on the boat and William noticed he’d remember what he’d been shown. Billy moved to the front deck and set up on the starboard rod locker and opened the first box labeled fishing. This was the part he’d been looking forward to but after the story he’d just heard, he wasn’t quite as upbeat as he was earlier. “What’s in there Billy?” “Looks like jig heads to me Mr. Baker. Lots of them”. “Oh yeah, that’s my spares and duplicates box. Scoot it over this way and I’ll get it. It’s heavy though”. Billy did as asked but had to reposition himself for enough bracing to scoot it over. “Billy, you ever fish much?” “Sometimes Mr. Baker, but I don’t have much stuff. My Dad keeps most of the fishing stuff at his place. There is a little lake through the woods that has some fish in it though. I’ve caught some bream and catfish and a couple of Crappie out of it”. That was about all William Baker needed to hear. “What do you use to catch them Billy”. “Well, I’ve got a little rod my Mom bought me and I’ve caught the Bream and Catfish on worms and grasshoppers that I find around the pond. All of the Crappie bit the grasshoppers though”.

Mr. Baker took the box and set it on the floor and started going through it. “Billy hand me that blue Plano bag over there”. Billy did and Mr. Baker started a new line of stuff on the floor. “Billy, what’s this little lake like?” “It’s pretty good sized. It’s got some fairly deep water in it I think. There’s some weeds around the edge and some old trees out away from the shore. I catch most of the fish about midway to the levee around some trees I can cast the cork out to.” “What about the water? How far down you can see?” “Oh it’s fairly dirty. I can see maybe 2 feet deep most of the time. I can take you back there to see it if you like.” “Well, maybe some time”. Billy felt bad about that last comment, but didn’t realize what it might mean to Mr. Baker when he said it.

Over the next 2 hours they carefully went through each box. Each box was chuck full of one style of baits just in different sizes and colors. Mr. Baker would stop every now and again and describe how each one was used and some even had stories connected about where they came from or how Mr. Baker used them on one particular lake at one time or another. Billy drank in every word. As William talked and Billy listened Mr. Baker was not up to 5 straight and neat rows of tackle and gear lined up on the garage floor. Just as Billy was moving the last box off the deck, his mother rounded the corner of the garage. “Hi Billy, I’m Carol, Billy’s mother” she said as she walked up to Mr. Baker. They shook hands and Mr. Baker introduced himself. “I hope Billy hasn’t been any trouble coming over here and your boat is about all he’s talked about since he met you and your wife” “Moooom” Billy managed. “Oh he’s been no trouble at all. Matter of fact he’s been a big help. I couldn’t have managed all this without him. I appreciate you letting him spend the afternoon with me.” Billy puffed up a little with pride when Mr. Baker said that, but tried not to let it show. “My wife has been itching to meet you, let me go get her”. Mr. Baker stepped inside and Carol moved over to the boat where Billy was sitting. “You haven’t been pestering the Bakers have you Billy?” “No Mom, I promise.” “Good, now we’ve got to get home pretty soon and get dinner and you need a bath so let’s finish up here and get going” Ann Baker stepped through the door and greeted Carol warmly insisting that she come in so they could talk and visit some. “Let’s let these boys finish up what they’re doing while we visit”. All Carol wanted was to get home after finishing work, but she couldn’t find a way to refuse.

After they’d gone in Mr. Baker said “Your Mom seems nice”. Billy half rolled his eyes and said “She’s OK, but she stays on my case a lot”. “I’ll tell you what William Brannon, I wish I had a Mom to stay on my case,” he said. “You’re lucky to have her and don’t you ever forget it”. The tone in which he said it made Billy sit up straight. “Yes sir” Billy said as he sat up. Later that night Billy would dwell on the way Mr. Brannon had corrected him and would decide he was in fact lucky to have her and that he needed to be more appreciative of his Mother.

“Now let’s finish up that last box,” Mr. Baker said, “so we can get you and your mother home”. Billy could tell that the curtness in his voice was already gone, but he worried he’d upset Mr. Baker somehow. Billy pushed over the last box. This one was full of odds and ends. Sun screen, batteries, pumps, old sunglasses. It was just a miscellaneous catch all box. Mr. Baker again set in on the floor and started through it. Billy managed up enough courage to ask “Is your Mother still alive Mr. Baker”. “No Billy, she died many years ago, but I’d give almost anything to see her again.” A few minutes later, Mr. Baker stood up and told Billy he’d be right back. Mr. Baker disappeared into the house and Billy was able to take stock in what all they’d accomplished. The boat was now completely clean and seemed even larger. The Marine section of the garage was now almost completely filled up with spare parts and baits and only a few things were still left in 2 cardboard boxes. All of the rods had been removed from their packaging and were lined up on 2 rod racks on the other side of the boat that Billy hadn’t noticed earlier. The 5 rows of miscellaneous tackle and gear was still lined up in the floor of the garage, but other than that, the garage was spick and span with everything in it’s place.

Mr. Baker, Ann and his Mom all stepped back into the garage with the ladies saying their goodbyes. Mr. Baker came back over to the boat and thanked Billy for all of his help and saying that he would be able to finish up from here. Billy climbed down and thanked Mr. Baker for letting him help and showing him all of the equipment and explaining so much about it to him and then he thanked Mrs. Ann for the cookies and tea. As they walked out of the garage Ann called to Carol “Don’t forget about lunch tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it.” “Oh we won’t. We’ll see you at noon.”

Back at home, the next couple of hours were a flurry of activity for Carol getting dinner ready and clothes folded and put out for the next day. And before she could even think about getting a bath herself, she needed to pay the light bill and replace that light bulb in the bedroom. To make matters worse, Billy kept getting distracted from his chores while he recounted something that Mr. Baker said or describing that silly boat. Even as warm as it was in the house that night, Carol finally flopped in the bed at 11 and was almost asleep when Billy stepped in the door and said “Thanks Mom for letting me go over to the Bakers today. I love you. Good night” It occurred to Carol when she said “I love you too” that Billy rarely said thank you to her for much in the last couple of years. He was always polite, but sometimes he seemed to take her for granted. “Your welcome Billy. Good night.”


Wannabe...

Another good one, WB.

Originally Posted by Wannabe...

Chapter 9

William and Billy went back at it. Billy climbed back up on the boat and William noticed he’d remember what he’d been shown. Billy moved to the front deck and set up on the starboard rod locker and opened the first box labeled fishing. This was the part he’d been looking forward to but after the story he’d just heard, he wasn’t quite as upbeat as he was earlier. “What’s in there Billy?” “Looks like jig heads to me Mr. Baker. Lots of them”. “Oh yeah, that’s my spares and duplicates box. Scoot it over this way and I’ll get it. It’s heavy though”. Billy did as asked but had to reposition himself for enough bracing to scoot it over. “Billy, you ever fish much?” “Sometimes Mr. Baker, but I don’t have much stuff. My Dad keeps most of the fishing stuff at his place. There is a little lake through the woods that has some fish in it though. I’ve caught some bream and catfish and a couple of Crappie out of it”. That was about all William Baker needed to hear. “What do you use to catch them Billy”. “Well, I’ve got a little rod my Mom bought me and I’ve caught the Bream and Catfish on worms and grasshoppers that I find around the pond. All of the Crappie bit the grasshoppers though”.

Mr. Baker took the box and set it on the floor and started going through it. “Billy hand me that blue Plano bag over there”. Billy did and Mr. Baker started a new line of stuff on the floor. “Billy, what’s this little lake like?” “It’s pretty good sized. It’s got some fairly deep water in it I think. There’s some weeds around the edge and some old trees out away from the shore. I catch most of the fish about midway to the levee around some trees I can cast the cork out to.” “What about the water? How far down you can see?” “Oh it’s fairly dirty. I can see maybe 2 feet deep most of the time. I can take you back there to see it if you like.” “Well, maybe some time”. Billy felt bad about that last comment, but didn’t realize what it might mean to Mr. Baker when he said it.

Over the next 2 hours they carefully went through each box. Each box was chuck full of one style of baits just in different sizes and colors. Mr. Baker would stop every now and again and describe how each one was used and some even had stories connected about where they came from or how Mr. Baker used them on one particular lake at one time or another. Billy drank in every word. As William talked and Billy listened Mr. Baker was not up to 5 straight and neat rows of tackle and gear lined up on the garage floor. Just as Billy was moving the last box off the deck, his mother rounded the corner of the garage. “Hi Billy, I’m Carol, Billy’s mother” she said as she walked up to Mr. Baker. They shook hands and Mr. Baker introduced himself. “I hope Billy hasn’t been any trouble coming over here and your boat is about all he’s talked about since he met you and your wife” “Moooom” Billy managed. “Oh he’s been no trouble at all. Matter of fact he’s been a big help. I couldn’t have managed all this without him. I appreciate you letting him spend the afternoon with me.” Billy puffed up a little with pride when Mr. Baker said that, but tried not to let it show. “My wife has been itching to meet you, let me go get her”. Mr. Baker stepped inside and Carol moved over to the boat where Billy was sitting. “You haven’t been pestering the Bakers have you Billy?” “No Mom, I promise.” “Good, now we’ve got to get home pretty soon and get dinner and you need a bath so let’s finish up here and get going” Ann Baker stepped through the door and greeted Carol warmly insisting that she come in so they could talk and visit some. “Let’s let these boys finish up what they’re doing while we visit”. All Carol wanted was to get home after finishing work, but she couldn’t find a way to refuse.

After they’d gone in Mr. Baker said “Your Mom seems nice”. Billy half rolled his eyes and said “She’s OK, but she stays on my case a lot”. “I’ll tell you what William Brannon, I wish I had a Mom to stay on my case,” he said. “You’re lucky to have her and don’t you ever forget it”. The tone in which he said it made Billy sit up straight. “Yes sir” Billy said as he sat up. Later that night Billy would dwell on the way Mr. Brannon had corrected him and would decide he was in fact lucky to have her and that he needed to be more appreciative of his Mother.

“Now let’s finish up that last box,” Mr. Baker said, “so we can get you and your mother home”. Billy could tell that the curtness in his voice was already gone, but he worried he’d upset Mr. Baker somehow. Billy pushed over the last box. This one was full of odds and ends. Sun screen, batteries, pumps, old sunglasses. It was just a miscellaneous catch all box. Mr. Baker again set in on the floor and started through it. Billy managed up enough courage to ask “Is your Mother still alive Mr. Baker”. “No Billy, she died many years ago, but I’d give almost anything to see her again.” A few minutes later, Mr. Baker stood up and told Billy he’d be right back. Mr. Baker disappeared into the house and Billy was able to take stock in what all they’d accomplished. The boat was now completely clean and seemed even larger. The Marine section of the garage was now almost completely filled up with spare parts and baits and only a few things were still left in 2 cardboard boxes. All of the rods had been removed from their packaging and were lined up on 2 rod racks on the other side of the boat that Billy hadn’t noticed earlier. The 5 rows of miscellaneous tackle and gear was still lined up in the floor of the garage, but other than that, the garage was spick and span with everything in it’s place.

Mr. Baker, Ann and his Mom all stepped back into the garage with the ladies saying their goodbyes. Mr. Baker came back over to the boat and thanked Billy for all of his help and saying that he would be able to finish up from here. Billy climbed down and thanked Mr. Baker for letting him help and showing him all of the equipment and explaining so much about it to him and then he thanked Mrs. Ann for the cookies and tea. As they walked out of the garage Ann called to Carol “Don’t forget about lunch tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it.” “Oh we won’t. We’ll see you at noon.”

Back at home, the next couple of hours were a flurry of activity for Carol getting dinner ready and clothes folded and put out for the next day. And before she could even think about getting a bath herself, she needed to pay the light bill and replace that light bulb in the bedroom. To make matters worse, Billy kept getting distracted from his chores while he recounted something that Mr. Baker said or describing that silly boat. Even as warm as it was in the house that night, Carol finally flopped in the bed at 11 and was almost asleep when Billy stepped in the door and said “Thanks Mom for letting me go over to the Bakers today. I love you. Good night” It occurred to Carol when she said “I love you too” that Billy rarely said thank you to her for much in the last couple of years. He was always polite, but sometimes he seemed to take her for granted. “Your welcome Billy. Good night.”


Wannabe...

Another good one! Enjoying it, sir.

Proofread confirmed...Carry on

Very good....I can't wait for tommorrow.