I'VE LONG HAD THIS VISION OF LIFE IN A SARDINE SCHOOL, A GROUP WHOSE ONLY DEFENSE IS IN ITS' SHEER NUMBERS. IN THIS VISION, WHEN ONE SARDINE NOTICES THAT ONE OF HIS COMPADRES IS MISSING, HE SWIMS FASTER, AND IS LEFT WITH "OH WELL, BETTER HIM THAN ME." SORT OF THE DONALD IN MASS.
I'VE ALSO SEEN QUAIL AND THEIR DEGREE OF COMMISERATION. IF A QUAIL IS RUN OVER ON THE ROAD, THE REST WILL GATHER AROUND, TRYING TO RAISE THEIR FALLEN MEMBER, TO THE POINT WHERE IT IS LIKELY THAT OTHERS WILL BE RUN OVER BY SUBSEQUENT CARS. SORTA MORE LIKE THE DEMS.
ALL POLITICS ASIDE FOR A MOMENT, I'M TIRED OF MEMBERS OF MY COVEY PASSING. WHILE I'M NOT BEST FRIENDS WITH MOST OF MY CLIENTS, IN MANY INSTANCES WE DO HAVE AN CONVERSATION THAT GOES ON INFREQUENTLY, BUT REGULARLY FOR YEARS. THIS CERTAINLY TRANSCENDS THE MODERN DAY, "FACEBOOK" DEFINITION OF FRIENDS, AT LEAST IN MY MIND.
PUKA SHELL MAN WAS ONE OF THOSE GUYS. A TALL RANGY SORTA GUY, LOOKS LIKE AN OUTFIELDER OR TIGHT END IN A FORMER CONFIGURATION, ALWAYS HAPPY, OPTIMISTIC, MAKING VERY GOOD LEMONADE AT THE HIND OF BEING GIVEN LEMONS. HE AND HIS CRONIES WERE WANT TO WEAR PUKA SHELL NECKLACES WHEN DOWN HERE, I EVEN HAVE ONE THAT THEY GIFTED ME HANGING ON THE WALL IN MY OFFICE, RIGHT OVER THERE. A RIDICULOUS THING THE PUKA, BUT THESE GUYS, ESPECIALLY THE SUBJECT OF THIS WRITING, PULLED IT OFF. BIG GOOFY GRIN, LOUD SHIRT, AND PUKA SHELLS.
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO HE WAS MADE AWARE OF CANCER IN HIS BODY, OF A KIND THAT WOULD INEVITABLY AND CONSIDERABLY SHORTEN HIS LIFE SPAN. I SAW A COUPLE OF GRIM LOOKS ON HIS FACE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, BUT HE HAD MADE A DECISION TO FINISH AS STRONGLY AS POSSIBLE, AND FROM MY LIMITED VANTAGE POINT HE DID JUST THAT. WHEN HE WENT TO MAG BAY, WITHOUT A DOUBT THE LAST FISHING TRIP THAT HE WOULD TAKE DOWN HERE, HE THANKED ME FOR THE TRIP. IMAGINE THAT. IN MY DREAMS CLOSEST TO MY CORE I HOPE TO SUMMON THAT SORT OF COURAGE, OPTIMISM, AND PERSPECTIVE IF FACED WITH A SIMILAR SITUATION.
I WILL THINK OF HIM WHEN LOOKING AT HIS SHELLS, AND TO HIS PUKA BROTHER I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT YOU DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB OF SUPPORTING YOUR FRIEND THROUGH HIS MOST DIFFICULT OF TIMES. I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF RESPECT FOR YOUR ACTIONS, ALL OF YOU, AND APPLAUD UNTIL MY HANDS HURT.
AS TO FISHING
I KNOW THAT MOST OF YOU DON'T COME DOWN HERE TO CATCH MARLIN, BUT TO MANY PEOPLE THE MARLIN REPRESENTS A FANTASY FISH, ONE THAT ONLY WEALTHY PEOPLE ON HUGE EXPENSIVE SPORT FISHERS CAN HOPE TO ATTAIN. NOT RIGHT NOW FOLKS. OUR YEAR IS STILL A LITTLE WHACKED OUT AS WE RECOVER FROM THE FADING EL NINO, BUT MARLIN ARE BEING SERVED. SON CHRIS HOOKED 12 OR SO IN THE LAST 3 DAYS, THE PANGA GUYS ARE SEEING LOTS AND HAVE CAUGHT FISH TO 450 LB. IN THE LAST WEEK, AND REPORT SEEING DOZENS IN A DAY. YEP, THERE'S SOME WAHOO, PARGO, ROOSTERS, EVEN A FEW YELLOW TAIL AROUND STILL, BUT IF A MARLIN IS ON YOUR LIST, THIS WOULD BE THE PLACE, AND NOW WOULD BE THE TIME.
HAVE FUN,
DAVID
