When I got off work on Friday Joe Wayne
was waiting on the parking lot. He
wanted me to go to Forked Lake fishing with him Saturday morning. He explained that Marianna had bought Polly
Williams Forked Lake membership for his birthday.
When we were approaching the gate we
spotted a turkey hen and brood, in the road ahead, and stopped to watch them
for a while. She finally realized we
were there and they disappeared in a flash.
I warned Joe of the big stump under water
right near the middle of the ramp and he carefully backed the boat into the
water. It was a calm cool morning and
the lake was never more beautiful. The
weird spiders that climb trees and jump, spinning a long string, to carry them
for miles, were everywhere. With the dew
clinging to their webs it was a pretty sight.
With the mist rising from the water caused by a little cooler weather it
was erie looking and very beautiful.
Well the fish must have been enjoying the
view because they were not cooperating.
We fished the area between the two lakes for a long time and not a
bite. Very unusual. Up to now Joe had boated a grinner and I had
caught a grinner and a drum.
We got near the end of
straight bank and were nearing one of my favorite areas and I suggested Joe
slow down. Joe always held the boat much
further out than I and it was a long cast to the bank. He threw a long cast to a log and Bam he had
a good one on. I immediately grabbed the
landing net and was ready for him to bring it to boat. It was a fine 4 pounder. He threw back again and bang as soon as the
plug hit the water he had a twin to the first.
I managed to catch a small bass a bit further on.
Joe was some kind of friend and was proud
of his friends. He thought I was this
especially good bass fisherman and spent the little time we had left to fish
questioning how he could have out fished me.
If you ever have a friend like him hang on to him/her they are
invaluable. He was one who would not tolerate
a friend saying anything ill about another friend of his.
I will never forget when we got to
Clinton. Joe wanted to take the boat to
his mom and dads first as he kept it in their garage. He backed to the back door and stopped. He went inside and his dad was gone but his
mom came out to see the big fish. I will
never forget Mrs. Weatherford sided up to me and grinning said, “Bobby tell me
the truth. “Did Joe P in his pants, when
he caught the big one.” They were all
special friends that I will cherish the memory of for as long as I live.
She was the first person to
hold me after delivery by the doctor and we always had a special attachment.
Joe used to ask me if I was
going to Forked Saturday. When I got to
the lake I always looked to the corner of the lot where he parked to see if his
truck was there. If he did not show I
would ask why. He would say that there
was a twenty percent chance of rain. I
always answered Joe you were not listening.
They said that there was a eighty percent chance of no rain. Even after he passed I continued to glance at
that spot where he parked just a reminder of good times past.
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