Timmy Meets An Old Man On The Way

While walking down the familiar sidewalks on his way to his favorite fishing spot Timmy didn’t notice the various cars passing by. He barely even noticed the kids playing in the playground. Evidently they didn’t know a good fishing day when they saw one! He was deep in his thoughts now about the big browns and beautiful rainbows he was going to catch today; his dad would be so proud! In fact he was so deep in his thoughts the old man that he passed had to yell at him, twice.

“Boy…BOY!” Timmy heard faintly then more loudly. Realizing someone was trying to talk to him, Timmy turned quickly around to notice an old man sitting on the cement porch steps of an old home.

“Yes sir,” Timmy replied. Timmy had always been taught to be respectful to his elders. He even watched his daddy do the same to the older men in the church they attended.

“Where you goin today, son?” The old man asked, smiling.

“Fishin, sir.”

“Where at?”

“At me and my dad’s favorite spot, sir.” Timmy didn’t know if he would tell him where that was at. Respecting elders was one thing, but giving up one’s favorite fishing spot was another!

“Going to bring home dinner, eh boy? Where’s that spot at, son? Is it the one down the bend behind the hospital?” The old man asked with a wink and a smile.

Figuring he could trust the old man, Timmy answered, “Yes sir, and yes that’s the spot, sir.” Maybe he had been there before?

“That’s a good one, that there spot is, son. Why I remember fishing there one time and the strangest thing happened to me,” the old man said as he looked up slightly, as if he could see his memories in the gray sky above him.

“Wha..what happened,” Timmy asked. He was a curious boy, as most are at his age.

“Well, see son, I was fishin, and then I heard this noise…like a stick broke or something, so I decided I best check it out. You don’t want coons comin down and stealin your fish, ya know.”

Timmy nodded his head and put his hand on his creel, just to make sure he brought it. No raccoon could get his thieving paws in there.

“Anyways,” the man continued, “as I walked through the woods, careful to remember my way back to the river, I didn’t find any critters, sos I decided to head back and keep a fishin. Just then,” he paused to look deep into Timmy’s eyes, “I wasn’t in the same woods any more!”

Timmy tried to hide his smile; be respectful, remember, he reminded himself.

The old man chuckled, and with a gleam in his eye that Timmy could only describe as excitement, and then said, “Well, you best be on your way, son. Go bring home some dinner for your parents. And, be careful now, ya hear?”

“Yes sir, I will, sir,” Timmy said, smiling. He began to finish the last leg of his journey to his fishing spot. That strange story from that old man fading in his mind.

A Good Day For Fishing

The Adventures of Timmy are told here in print form as I have been telling them to my son for the past month or so before his bed time. He is four and a half, and loves them. I will try to retell them as I told him, and I will probably add more detail since most of us are older than four...

Timmy woke up that morning to a sort of over cast day. A good day for fishing, he thought. Of course, every day was a good day for fishing in Timmy’s mind. As Timmy got dressed, he took a look outside his bedroom window to see if his dad’s car was in the driveway. It wasn’t. That meant that Timmy might not be fishing today. He was sad.

Timmy’s mom was busy in the kitchen and didn’t even hear Timmy walking behind her. Half startled she said, “Good morning, son…my you almost scared me!” She reached over and hugged him, and noticed the long look on his face. “What’s the matter, Timmy?” she asked, lovingly.

“Nothin,” Timmy replied, glumly.

Not buying his game, Timmy’s mom kept talking, “Nice day for fishing today, eh, Timmy?”

“Yeah…but, I wont be doin no fishing today, mom.” Timmy slumped down at the dinning room table, and got ready to eat what would be a sad breakfast.

“I wont be doing any fishing today,” she corrected. There was a pause from Timmy. This wasn’t like Timmy; he was usually talkative, but she knew he really wanted to go fishing today, but thought he couldn’t because his dad was gone, and he had never been allowed to fish alone before. That is, until today. See, Timmy didn’t know that before his dad left today he had discussed things over with Timmy’s mom and they decided he was now old enough to go to their fishing spot by himself. So, she egged him on. “Oh, why not, Timmy?”

Timmy’s mom began to pour him his usual breakfast of cereal and milk. It was his dad’s usual, too. She had to turn her back to him as she did it so as to hide her smile; she didn’t want to spoil the rouse. Some mom’s love to have fun with their boys.

“Mom, you know why. Dad’s gone. I can’t go fishin alone; I’m not old enough, remember?”

“Well, that changes today, Timmy!” She couldn’t hold the secret in any longer.

“Wha…wait a minute! You mean…I can go fishin by myself, mom?” Timmy asked, leaping out of his chair.

“Yes, that is what I mean, son. Your father and I decided this morning that you were old enough to go by yourself, if you fish in your usual spot. I think your dad knew this would be a good day to bring us home some trout for dinner,” she said with a smile.

“Oh boy,” exclaimed Timmy! He rushed over and hugged his mom as hard as he could. He knew she loved “big hugs” like this, and he wanted to hug her “big” right now for letting him go alone!

Timmy quickly ate his breakfast, in spite of his mother’s telling him to slow down. Then he rushed into the garage and gathered up all his fishing gear. As he ran out of the garage, tackle and creel hanging everywhere, his mother told him to be home before his father did and they could clean his fish and fry them up for dinner. She then kissed him on the cheek and told him to be careful. He told her he would. After all, what could happen to him going fishing?