Folks fish for lots of reasons. For escape. For sustenance. For sport. For companionship. For communion. We fished because the transition from 65 to 55 on NC421, approaching Boone from the east, is easily missed and enthusiastically enforced.
Troy had a ticket to fix.
My phone rang on Friday. “Hi. Whatcha doin’?” When Troy calls and asks this question, I generally skip the formalities and jump right to “Where, when, and what weight rod?”
“Watauga County. Monday. Chase some small stream trout. But we have to make a stop.” And the sad story from his last fishing trip west tumbled out. So, since he had to go pay the radar-wielding piper anyway, why not make something good come of it? Sandwich the unpleasantness between a morning on the Elk and an afternoon on the Watauga. Ease the pain.
Now, I make it a habit of avoiding courthouses (and we’ll just leave it at that for the time being) but I figured a close encounter with the seat of authority was a fair price to pay for a day on trout water.
“I’m in…” I responded, as I usually do.
“… but, while you pay the fine, I’m stayin’ in the truck.”
Such sweet lemonade, that.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Steve. Exactly.
ReplyDeleteTight lines will help take the sting out of that bite. 912 aarjoin
ReplyDeleteHow was the Elk?
ReplyDeleteAs our mutual friend Fin would say, "this reminds me of a story..." I recall my first foray into salt water fly fishing while I was a Texan. As I crested the only overpass on a long flat highway to the coast, there he sat. The officer was polite and a fisherman. He wished us luck but still stuck me with a ticket doing 65 in a 55. I caught my first tailing red that morning...it was worth the price of admission!
ReplyDeleteThe ticket paying process takes precisely 31 minutes while the meter maid lurks outside.
ReplyDeleteHaving passed through Watauga County multiple times on my way to and from our family place on the parkway, I can attest to the occasional exceeding of certain speed restrictions and the required donations to same said principality. Fishing on the Elk can be great at times...hope this was one of those times.
ReplyDeleteMO Kevin, you're absolutely right. Despite the sting, we had a fine, fine day.
ReplyDeleteNC Kevin, it was better than the courthouse. :-)
You are correct, T. Well worth the price of admission. And that reminds me of a story...
You've been there Clif? Sounds about right.
I can attest to the occasional exceeding of certain speed restrictions and the required donations to same said principality. And it's that kind of language, Marc, that keeps me away from courthouses. Thanks for the chuckle.
Sounds like it was a fine day in both senses of the word!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Howard. I can now prove to my wife that I'm not the only one whose mind works like that.
ReplyDelete