The more things change, the more they stay the same

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Some things never change Photo by Tom Cahill

Some things never change Photo by Tom Cahill

I received this photo from my brother Tom, via text message.

It seems he has been sorting through some of the belongings that my grandparents left behind. In an old dresser he found this list in my young handwriting. My guess is that this dates from about the time I was ten. I believe I had just read “The Old Man And The Sea” for the first time. For those who can’t make it out, I’ll translate.

Fishing List

Harpoon
1000 yards strong rope
Case of dynamite
Buoy
Take pistol
Dynamite
License

A few of my favorite points to this list are these. Dynamite appears twice. I’m not sure if this was meant to imply that one case might not be enough, or that dynamite was so key to my plan that I couldn’t risk forgetting it, or possibly just a testament to my enthusiasm about dynamite. There was no need to find a pistol, just the need to remember the one I had… at ten. And best of all my reverence for the regulations. We wouldn’t want to ‘fish’ without a license.

It occurred to me that maybe I harp on the catch and release thing a little heavy from time to time and it would only be what I deserve to share this with my readers. None of us, I suppose, start out as catch-and-release anglers but few, apparently, start as far from it as I did. In my defense I’ll say that this proves my views on catch and release are not an unconsidered opinion. I tried it the other way!

When I shared this with my wife as a glimpse into the mind of her betrothed when he was only a child she smiled, laughed a knowing laugh and said,

“The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

I guess I’ll always be ten at heart. At least when I go fishing.

Louis Cahill
Gink & Gasoline
www.ginkandgasoline.com
hookups@ginkandgasoline.com
 
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9 thoughts on “The more things change, the more they stay the same

  1. Dude,
    As my poor memory recalls, you didn’t just make the list. You were on a mission! I think it was after the report of 100 lb catfish in Smith Mountain Lake near the dam. The pistol was a model 10 Smith in nickel and you were not concerned with a fishing license. Papa had told you that they would not sell dynamite if you didn’t have a license so you just added “Dynamite License” to the list. And now for a foot note: You have lived you’re life with just that commitment. What ever obstacle may arise you just add removing it to your “To Do List”.

  2. maybe the last thing on the list was a dynamite license, i believe you should be licensed to carry dynamite.

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  4. That is awesome. The second time I read it I picked up that he spelled it diminate first and they dynamite. Clearly you wanted to cover your bases.

  5. I can relate to C&R part:
    I can remeber catching crappie by the hundred. Keeping them all to bring home and process them through my uncle’s meat grinder!
    We would freeze them in gallon jugs and use them for chumming the atlantic for sharks in the summer time! It was F*#%ing Awesome!!
    I would never dream of doing that now…

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