"This True Story Was First Told Around a
Campfire"
TRUE CAMPFIRE STORY #6
THE NOVICE
In all modesty, I must not presume to disclose the identity of the
subject of
this latest tale. Let it suffice to describe his actions, his
inabilities, his
acquired abilities, and his inspiration to us all!
To begin, I must describe him as a novice; unaware of the complexities,
nor the
simplicities of camping and fishing. Although, I must announce that
from the
beginning, he truly seemed to be inspired at any terrain over 4,000 ft.
elevation; forests, streams, meadows, and granite cliffs all seemed to
bring
out a joy in our subject's noble heart. From the beginning, he needed
to be
shown how to attach a swivel, a lure, or a bait setup to his fishing
line; he
also has needed refresher courses in this simple task, over and over,
through
the years. He was shown how to cast accurately, but he never quite got
the
rhythm to cast to his chosen spot. Yet, I was instantly aware that he
shared
our love of these outdoor endeavors, and would go on many an adventure
with us.
His first fishing trip was in a meadow of a friend's ranch on Grizzly
Creek, in
the Feather River Basin. He caught his first trout, and we all saw the
trout
hooked, but little did we realize that he too was hooked. A few weeks
later, he
returned to that very spot with his teenaged son, and they embarked
upon a new
adventure in their lives. His first fish caught at Cherry Lake wasn't
exactly a trout!
Since that meager beginning, he has never failed to make himself
available for
any trip that would take him over 4,000 ft. elevation, whether it was
for
fishing, simple camping, shooting, or riding ATVs. He soon learned
how to count shooting stars, and often we would be awakened at
4am to, "Did you see that one?"
He quickly learned how to tell good campfire stories, which, of course,
were
all true, and he also learned how to make a huge campfire.
He finally learned the art of sneeking up on mountain trout and soon
was landing his fair share.
He
has always been a gourmet cook, but his mountain cuisine is splendidly
divine; of course, the wine is perfectly chosen for every dish. We
graduated
from lamb chops to roasted or baked leg of lamb; from NY steaks to
filet
mignon; from simple steamed vegetables to vegetables sautéed in
wine, garlic,
and onions.
Of course, over the years, a few problems have arisen; he believes that
he is
the best card player and ignores his losses, while his partner for the
day must
go to the bank to divvy up; he believes that he can drink all day,
without
effect, but we, who have pulled his drunken body out or roaring fires,
know
that he does have his limits; he believes that he can count on a series
of 22
rifle shots fired into a pool of stocked fish as good shooting and good
fishing, while we believe it was luck, and not so good fishing; he
believes
that because he is such a good cook, he never has to wash dishes; he
believes
that we forgive him for wearing the same pair of USC yellow shorts for
the
entire week long trip; we don't.
I guess the moral of this story is that we can teach an old dog new
tricks, but
we should be prepared to learn a few tricks from an old dog.
Copyright
2004, Carport's True Stories
Reproduction for noncommercial uses only is acceptable
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