A Fishing Tale

Allen and his wife, Kayla, loaded up their vehicle. They were long overdue for a fishing trip at the local pier. It was late in the season to catch spot, so they both had on their extra layer for warmth, as the water off the ocean could be bitter cold.

After the short drive they arrived and unloaded their gear. At the pier entrance, the fee was paid, and bait was purchased. They made the long walk down to where all the action appeared to be happening. It was easy to spot as everyone was side by side with no room to spare. They continued down the planks until a small section finally opened up and they inched their way into that area.

It never failed that Kayla would be the first to cast, and the first to make new friends with the neighboring fishermen and fisherwomen, as her line became entangled with someone nearby. The proper exchanges were made, friendly of course, and the lines were straightened out. Soon both the “no longer stranger” and her were able to recast.

After a few casts, and getting used to the feel of the waves pulling at the line, both Allen and Kayla felt a few nibbles. This was exciting at first, but then grew mundane as each time either reeled in their line, they had lost their bait. Kayla always brought a book on her phone and was debating whether it was more worthy of her time to continue to try to catch a fish, or to find an empty bench further towards shore and read, and just let her husband continue to fish without her. On the one hand, they were finally getting time to spend together. On the other hand, she had just began this great new book that really had her hooked and she was interested in finding out what happened next.

As she was debating, the pole in her hand jerked. Instinctively, she went to set the hook, but before she could do anything, the line started pulling out to the ocean in a mad dash. The reel was spinning like crazy and making an awful noise as it was going out so fast. She called to her husband who just stood there in awe at the reel moving so quickly. She begged him to tell her what to do but he sort of laughed and said there was nothing to do.

As she stood still, holding her pole in both hands helplessly, she tried to think what would be her next action. Before she came up with any great ideas, the line had run out. The pole now was rendered useless, without line, hook, or bait. She stood silently, before handing her pole to her husband, unsure what just happened. Of course, the noise of the line pulling out, her calling to her husband and his response was all took in by the crowd.

It was not long before the word was spread to the local fishing neighbors. Someone finally gave name to the creature that likely had just took her bait and hook and line to the ocean. “It was most likely a shark you just hooked,” she was told.

Her husband offered to give her his pole, as he had brought line to replace, but it would take him some time to finish the task. She turned him down though. Somehow the thought that a living creature now had a hook stuck in his mouth thanks to her, just took the fun out of that particular fishing trip. Also, catching a shark had never been on her list of things to do, and the thought that one might have been on the other end of her line just struck her with awe. She decided she would much rather enjoy the rest of the trip by finding out what happened next in her book after all.