Ole Pappy
Take couple of city kids out of their environment for a week or so and plop them into a small town atmosphere. Asking for trouble? Well, could have been — except for a dear friend who doesn’t have to invent fish tales — he lives them.
Grandsons Timmy and Matthew Higgin spent last week at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. When I heard they were coming, I gave a call to my friend Greg Peer.
“Could you take the boys fishing?” I nearly begged. “I’d love too,” said Greg. So we saddled up the boys and took them to Big Wood Lake near Grantsburg, WI.
It’s Greg’s favorite fishing spot and he knows all the best “holes” in which to catch fish. “I can practically guarantee you we’ll catch fish,” he told the boys.
Before we went, he regaled them with fish stories, deer stories and even bear stories. He showed them stuffed fish and deer hanging on the walls. It’s not a life they’re used to in the Raleigh-Durham, NC area. So, off we went in the boat to seek fish. Timmy caught the first one — then five more.
And Matthew, the youngest, landed the largest catch of the day — an 18 1/4-inch bass.
He was proud as a peacock — even if he wouldn’t touch it — or eat it. He did want to pose for a photo, but wouldn’t touch it — so Greg, being the kindly sportsman he is, found some gloves for Matthew to wear so he could hold the fish for the photos.
Matthew caught his fish near the dock of another lake-front home owner, who just came out to the dock to fish. When Matthew landed his fish, the man yelled, “Hey, what you doing ... stealing my fish?”
He laughed, then snapped the above photo and sent it to us. “I don’t think the boys realize what a really great day they had fishing,” said Greg. “Everyone is talking about all the fish they took out of the lake.”
I was happy for the kids. But I was also proud to know I had a wonderful friend like Greg who would take his time to run the kids all over the lake, set them up with rods and help them have the time of their lives.
But then, Greg loves it. When one of the boys asked if he’d ever taken kids from North Carolina fishing before he said, “Let me see ....” and he named off several other COUNTRIES kids were from that he’s taken fishing.
Then he said, “No! Nobody else from North Carolina.” Believe me, this was a time to remember — especially for a couple of city kids who got a taste of country life.
LAUGH A LITTLE: Friday. A man rides in on Friday, stays two days and three nights and then leaves on Friday. How is that possible? Easy. His horse was named Friday!
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: As my Ole Pappy used to say, “All your dreams can come true — if you have the courage to go after them.”
Ole Pappy was my teacher — but most importantly, he was a great dad! Thanks Ole Pappy!