Fish Talk: An Extended Holiday

Unfortunately this segment of my blog failed to garnish the support I had hoped for. This will most likely be the last Fish Talk posting.

The world today can become a chaotic vortex of swirling emotions, events, and people. It is important to cope with this chaos. A medley of strategies abound. I find fishing to be an excellent strategy.

There is a sense of alignment when I fish. Crisp mountain air prickles my flesh. Gurgling streams ease my mind. I step from the bank into the icy water, submerging my feet and my soul. Nothing compares to an ice bath. The methodical stroking of my line through the air. Flick the wrist, swish and flick. Speak? Why would I? Nature does the speaking for me.

Fishing is more than sport. It's more than a coping strategy for life. Fishing is about the memories, the peace, the experience. Fishing is living.

The Social Butterfly

Butterflies flutter about. Conversing, what about? It doesn't matter, they just talk and talk, chat, chat, blah, blah. Their beautiful colors intertwine and combine. Their patterns are neat and unique. Grace lifts their wings, their wings swirl the air, carrying them on currents of delicious care.

I sat in class. Not making a sound. Class was far from profound. Make connections they said, ask a question, make a statement. Class improves when you participate. So I did. I made a comment, maybe two. Now I'm alone in a corner, in a room. A room full of twenty other students. I dare to say, Silence was preferred. Silence was acceptable. Now these social butterflies, flutter about, but they dare not land by my side. I might make a comment, a comment which they cannot justify.

Blah, blah blah. Blah. Blah.
Speak. Talk. Sound. Silence is preferred.
preferred not acceptable.

Expectations did not meet, was that the turning point? I fight to remain apart, yet I am afraid to separate.

Paper Cranes

In Japan the crane is a mystical creature of legend. It also plays a central role in the recent animation “Kung Fu Panda”. It is said that if a person folds one thousand paper cranes they will be granted a wish. The paper crane can also signify peace. In my life the paper crane means so much more.

My Grandpa Al has made paper cranes for as long as I can remember. They are intricately folded pieces of paper. When discussing his paper birds he often points out that the wings of his birds flap: apparently other paper birds don't have flapping wings. After folding the bird he calls someone over and gives it to them. Everywhere we go he gives away these paper birds. Packets of pre-folded birds fill his pockets. It has become an art of efficiency. These paper birds epitomize my grandpa. He is an intricately folded man: a man of charity, courage and integrity. He is always willing to give of himself. Another amazing attribute is his unique sense of humor. I'm pretty sure he spends hours thinking of witty jokes. Many of his jokes are told time and again; but just when you think you've heard them all he'll surprise you. One day while holding a ruler he called me over. Pointing at the one inch mark on the ruler he said, “be careful when you give someone an inch.” He paused, eyes twinkling, then said, “because then they'll want to rule ya.” Classic grandpa.

One day I decided to learn how to make a paper crane. I took one of my grandpa's birds. Fold by fold I unraveled the bird; then I put it back together. I did this until I learned how to make a bird. One day I decided to be clever. While visiting my grandparents I sat down in front of my him and made a bird. He sat and watched as I folded a small piece of paper into a small white bird. When I finished I handed it to him. Slightly confused he said, “I know a faster way.” He whipped out a packet of his pre-folded birds, separated one from the flock, and handed it to me. At the time I didn't understand. I thought he would be pleased with me. I thought I would be funny, I wasn't. Looking back now, I know that for my Grandpa folding paper cranes is not a joke. Instead it is a way for him to interact and spread joy. So many times I've seen him call over a little child, give them a bird, and watch the expression of happiness spread across their faces.

I haven't always appreciated my grandpa. I put up with his unique quirks instead of embracing them. It wasn't until recently that I've learned to appreciate my Grandpa Al. He has done so much for so many. He taught me how to fold a paper crane. No, he never sat me down and said this is how you do it. His example was enough. His example is enough. Today I can still fold a square piece of paper into a paper crane. The ability to do so is much more than origami to me. It is a connection to my grandpa; my birds wings flap too.

Spiders, Dangling from my Nose

Today I had a spider crawl out of my nose. A warning, maybe. Are the cobwebs falling? Or are they growing? Why worry? It was only a small spider; minuscule in the world of humans. I was walking when it escaped the confines of my hairy nostril. It dangled from a small web, an invisible web. I thought it was a gooey green thing; I was wrong. I smashed that spider. Making it a gooey green thing once and for all.

The Eagle has fallen, The Raven sings

Excitement permeated. What will I do? How will I ask. So positive; this will be a blast.
A lump begins to-but I choke it down.
No.
"Zac" I say. " Believe. Between you and me, please. believe."
Fortitude.
Scrolling, locating, dialing. beep, boop, beep, beep, boop, boop, beep, boop, beep, bop. Stop. Is it ringing?
yes.
once, twice. "Please hold," is that right? What is this? My stomach heaves, the elevator music leaves. "You've reached the phone of," my mind shuts off. Is this an eternal clock? The speaking stops.
A permeating existential thought.
"This is Zac, I guess I'll try back."
Confusion.
What just happend? Once again or Not yet to begin?

Why Dost Thou Tormentest Me?

My guts tumble and roil about. They tie themselves in a knot. Not an ordinary square knot, nor the fantastic figure 8 knot. This is a ridiculously complex knot. In fact you couldn't call it one knot. No, this is a knot upon knot upon knot, type of knot. For simplicities sake let us call this a rats nest knot. My guts tie themselves into this huge rats nest knot. Along with the knot comes a queesy green feeling. Almost as if the rat that made a knot of my stomach decided to interweave rotting garbage between the strands of gut. A chunk of dripping diaper, a diabolic smelling sandwich, a gangrene cat. Dizziness threatens to overwhelm me. My eyes glaze, my tongue becomes a thick slab of meat stuck between my teeth. This is a crime. I try not to dwell, but my gut continues to swell. Heave, "OH NO!", Heave, "NOT NOW!", Heave.

My leg vibrates, Nay, it grates. From my pocket I pull my little telephone. 1 text it reads. Here we go. All the pain, the waiting, the nausea, the end is here, one way or the other the verdict will be known.
"Hey" it began. "I can't today". My rising gut fell. "But maybe another day". okay.

Fish Talk: Vocabulary

Fishing, like any activity has a specific vocabulary. And like any activity if you don't know or understand the vocabulary you end up sounding like an idiot. For example when you catch a big fish you would say something like, "She's a beauty". You wouldn't say something like, "This fish that I have caught is really big". A sentence like that and fisherman for miles around would know that you are a greenie. This is a list of commonly used fishing terms and the appropriate response.

"She's a beauty/she's a beaut"- when a fish is large and worth keeping.
Response: "yep, She's a keeper".

"Any luck?"- addressed to another fisherman when you first arrive at a fishing hole, or you pass another fisherman currently fishing.
Response: "A few hits, nothin much" or "A few small ones". Humility is key. It is considered impolite to brag to a stranger about the gigantic fish that you just caught.

"What's your secret?"*- When you are having no luck and you are desperate enough to ask the guy next to you what he has been catching all the fish with.
Response: You give a ten minute lecture on the proper speed to reel in your line, how to cast, and how to select the right lure.*

These are only a few of the phrases that are common when fishing. A few more vocabulary terms that are appropriate to add to your fishing repertoire are:

like magic
broke my line
she was a biggun
little guy
catch and release
keeper
monster
whopper
sardine
minnow


Typically creativity is a plus when fishing. But as you get creative with your vocabulary you might confuse your fellow fisherman. Simplicity works magic with the fish, and communication between your fellow fishermen.

*(Refer to previous Fish Talk posts)