The Old Man

                     
When I was a boy, my father would take me out fishing. He would say “do you know why we fish son?” I responded “no” He said “we fish so we can eat.” I asked “why?” He said “let me tell you a little story.” when I was just a boy, I went fishing every weekend. One day we went to the lake and seen an old man trying to catch fish with his bare hands… we offered him money, but he refused. He told us “it’s better to catch your meal, than to eat off someone else.” My father’s eyes were wide like the moon. This old man was neither selfish nor greedy. So what we did was give him a challenge. My father said “old man, how about this. He handed the man his best pole and a worm. My father said “if you can catch a bigger fish than me, then you can keep the pole and a bucket of worms. The old man responded “but I don’t know how to fish…” My father said “listen all you do is cast that line out in the water and reel it in slowly.” The old man did just that. My father did the same. The old man yelled “something’s on the line! What do I do now?!” “Reel it in!” said my father. The old man finally reeled the fish in. “look at the size of that trout!” said the old man. I held my father’s pole while he measured the fish. A whopping 35in and 20 pounds! My father caught a small mouth bass. Of course he did it on purpose so the old man wouldn’t refuse the pole. My father said “well old man, you won.” Here’s a bucket full of worms. My father’s generosity was of nothing I have seen before. The old man smiled big and said “now I can eat every day!” he did just that. Every weekend we went there, the old man was fishing for his next meal. For three years he stayed at the lake and fished. One weekend we brought our grill and some charcoal. We wanted to have a cookout with the old man we met. We were so happy to see him on the dock. As if he fell asleep fishing. That was not the case at all… he had a note that read “dear father and son, I do not know your names nor do you know mine. I thank you for all the good times we’ve had over the years we known each other. But… my time has come and one of these days I know I am going to die of old age. It was great to have someone teach me a new meaning on life! You taught me a very special meaning, give a man a fish he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime. Be safe and happy fishing my friends! For this is the last time I’ll ever speak to you.” My father’s face was in tears after he read the note… I said “father? Is this the last time we’ll see him?” he said “yes son, it will be. “My father gave me a big hug after we called the ambulance. When they got there, they said “he was George Wilton.” A local man, who had no family and no job. He was age 89. My father went silent. They took him away. We caught the biggest trout that day… and named that trout after the old man, to which we released it back into the lake and left. With all that said son, give a man a fish feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime.