Tales from th' Trails

There was a place Papaw like ta take us fishin. It was a lake about a hour drive from th’ house. I don’t know why he liked ta go out that way, cuz you could catch a fish just about anywhere there was water, includin da ditch out fronta da house. But it was fun ta git away for ‘while, an I reckon maybe Papaw felt th’ same way too.

So we’d git da tacklebox, an he’d always check it ta make sure we had everthing we need, sinkers an bobbers an extra line an all that, an check dat th’ hooks was clean an sharp too. Then he’d throw five or six poles in th’ back a da truck an off we’d go. He had a couple a rod an reel type poles that he kept in workin order, but said his favorite was a cane pole. Wit a cane pole you don’t hafta worry ‘bout castin yo line inta some bushes, or reelin your fish in or nuthin like dat, you jus put a worm on da hook, or a cricket, fine a shady place an drop da hook in th’ water. Den you jus sit there an waits for a fish. When a fish tug on da line you give a quick jerk an pull it on up outta da water. No fussin round wit nuthin. Dat’s da way he liked ta fish, an dat’s da way he taught me ta fish too.

So anyways, we’d git in th’ truck, him an me an Little Randy, an we’d drive on out there. On th’ way we’d stop at a little service station to git fresh worms an some ice for th’ cooler an a Coke or somethin. If Daddy or Uncle Jimbo was with us we’d get some beer. So dere was dis stack a tires outside a da service station what had a pair a legs stickin up outta it. Da legs was wearin britches an boots. Papaw done tole us a man falled in there an could’n git back out. Said he’d been in dere fifteen years or so. An you know I used ta believe ‘im.

I ast him once, Is he still alive Papaw? Papaw says Yes, dey feeds ‘im through a hole in one a da tires right near where his mouth is. Well how do he go to da bathroom I ast him. He say Dat I don’t know. I never been round when he done it. An you know ever once in a while da wind would blow an dem legs would move jus like dey was kickin, an Papaw would say Look at ‘im, he still tryin ta get outta dere. Then we’d go on fishin.