Fishin Buddies

Fishin Buddies

The summer sun had just peaked above the tree tops as the shadow’s crossed the lane, and a light breeze could be felt. From the bank of the creek the gurgling of the water could be heard. I had walked this road many times and was accustomed to the hum of the bees in the oak tree, the flight of a gossamer butter-fly as it fluttered past, the song of the birds in the field. The bark of an occasional dog that came running to greet me as my path crossed his. Down the lane a fence ran the length of Mr. MacDurmets farm. Old Bessie hung her head through the fence, her big brown eye’s looking forlornly at me, as if questioning the fact that she was there in her pasture and I was out side, walking the road she longed to venture upon. Her head swayed to and fro, her big brown eye’s watching my every move. I walked up to her and gently rubbed her velvet nose, scratched her ear, and cooed to her as if to let her know everything was fine, and she wasn’t alone. This world that she knew was ok, and I would not hurt her.

As the sun came into view above the trees, I stepped back onto the dirt road. Dust rose up as my sandaled feet scuffed along, kicking the few stones that passing cars had not driven into the ground. Walking along, not a care in the world, I had time to think of the day. It’s funny the things you notice when your out there all alone. Up ahead the road had widened and there was a drop off, and a Cement Bridge. Just a small one put there by the county to protect cars when the rain got to heavy and ran over the banks of the creek. Walking along I heard a giggle, then another coming from near the bridge. I could not see anything at first, but the closer I got to the spot, the louder the giggle. There standing on the bank of the creek was a very young man, maybe ten years old. He was dressed in bib overalls, a short sleeved flannel shirt, and a straw hat that fell over his ears, about two sizes to big. Blonde hair hung down and framed his face, but not enough to cover the freckles that danced across his cheeks. His blue eyes were vibrant and his lips were a cherry pink. A smile was there and the laughter loomed somewhere behind that smile. He stood there, up to his ankles in the creek, he wore no shoes, and in his hand he balanced a cane pole, a red hanky hung from his pocket and a stringer ran from his bib overalls to the water. I looked around to see if anything was on the end of the stringer, but couldn’t see anything.
There next to him dancing in the air was a young pup, jumping up and down trying to get to a fish that the young boy held in his hand.

Hi Bubba I said, how’s it going? Have you caught anything? I saw that he had caught a fine looking pup. Where’d you get the pup? I said. Bubba turned and looked at me, and smiled. Oh! this is Binky, he said. Grandpa got him for me. Isn’t he just the best? He sure is, I said. Have you caught anything? Looking around he found the stringer and pulled it out of the water. There dancing on the end of the stringer was several small pan fish. Well the sight of that stringer full of fish was too much for that pup, seeing the stringer of fish drove him crazy and into the water he went, water splashing everywhere, on top of all this the kid was trying to keep his balance and got tangled up in the stringer. He finally lost his balance and into the water he went. I stood there, splitting a gut laughing at the site of those two and that stringer of fish. I laughed till I cried. Bubba finally calmed the pup down by putting the fish back into the water and the pup, now soaking wet came out of the water shaking the water off himself. The giggle finally escaped the boy and by now we were both laughing. What a delightful day it had become, I almost hated leaving but I had to head for home. The day was long and I had much to do. Bubba and that pup had made my day. Each time I go past that bridge now I think of the pup and Bubba, and a smile escapes my lips.

@ K.L. Farnum

Story ID:	3505
Written by:	K. L. Farnum (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Story
Location:	Anywhere USA
Year:	2000
Person:	Bubba