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"HOME COMING"
IF
NO ONE IS GOING WITH ME I'LL JUST GO BY MYSELF. I DON'T
HAVE A BOAT ANYMORE BUT MOM WILL LET ME USE ONE OF HERS.
THIS WAY BROTHER CAN FISH WITH ME.
DON, ART, AND I HAD A TRIP TO CADDO LAKE PLANED FOR SOME
TIME NOW. DON IS MY LONG TIME FISHING BUDDY THAT I
WORKED WITH AT THE GENERAL MOTORS PLANT IN ARLINGTON FOR
YEARS. ART IS A CHILD HOOD CHUM I PLAYED WITH BACK IN
THE 30'S. OUR FOLKS WORKED FOR THE CITIES SERVICES
PIPELINE CO. IN EAST TEXAS. HIS FAMILY GOT TRANSFERRED
OFF SOME WHERE AND WE LOST CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER. HE
LIVED IN ARIZONA FOR A LONG TIME AND JUST RECENTLY
RETIRED AND MOVED TO WEATHERFORD. WE FOUND EACH OTHER
AGAIN AND WANTED TO GO FISHING TOGETHER.
FIRST ART CALLED AND SAID HE COULDN'T GO THIS TIME. HE
HAD BEEN DRAWN FOR A HUNTING TRIP IN ARIZONA. HE AND
SOME OF HIS FRIENDS HE HUNTED WITH WHEN HE LIVED OUT
THERE HAD BEEN DRAWN FOR A TURKEY HUNT AND HE WANTED TO
GO WITH THEM. THEN DON CALLED AND SAID HE COULDN'T GO
BECAUSE HIS COUSIN THAT LIVED IN ROCK PORT HAD CANCER
AND WAS IN REAL BAD SHAPE. HE WAS GOING TO ROCK PORT TO
SEE ABOUT HER. THIS LEFT ME WITH THE CHOICE OF CANCELING
OUT ALL TOGETHER OR GOING BY MYSELF. I CHOSE TO GO BY
MYSELF. ANYTIME I GET A CHANCE TO GO TO CADDO I'M GOING.
WE
HAD RESERVED A CABIN FOR A WEEK BUT BY MYSELF I WOULDN'T
NEED A CABIN. WE CAN RENT IT TO SOMEONE ELSE. I WOULD
BACK MY PICKUP WITH THE CAMPER ON IT UP TO BROTHER'S
CABIN AND PLUG INTO THE ELECTRICITY. I CAN USE HIS
BATHROOM AND KITCHEN. I'M NOT BASHFUL AND IF HE IS
THAT'S HIS PROBLEM.
I
KEEP SAYING MOM AND BROTHER. MAYBE I BETTER EXPLAIN THAT
THIS IS NOT MY REAL MOM AND BROTHER. MRS. TUCKER OWNS
TUCKERS FISHING CAMP AND HAS RUN IT BY HER SELF EVER
SENSE HER HUSBAND WAS KILLED. I’VE BEEN GOING DOWN THERE
SINCE THE 60'S SHORTLY AFTER MR. TUCKER WAS KILLED. I
HAD TO TAKE EARLY RETIREMENT MYSELF BECAUSE OF HEALTH
PROBLEMS AND I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THERE. JOHNNIE, MY
WIFE, AND I ONCE SPENT THREE MONTHS RUNNING THE CAMP FOR
MRS. TUCKER WHILE SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH CANCER.
BUT THAT'S A WHOLE NOTHER STORY FOR A DIFFERENT TIME.
I
WAS SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH HER I STARTED CALLING HER
MOM. I GUESS SHE'S MY MOM BY ADOPTION, OR I'M HER SON BY
ADOPTION, OR WHAT EVER. ANYWAY IF MRS. TUCKER IS MY MOM
BY ADOPTION THEN THAT MAKES HER SON, ORIED, MY BROTHER
BY ADOPTION. ARE YOU AS CONFUSED AS I AM? ANYWAY THAT'S
WHY I CALL THEM MY MOM AND MY BROTHER. BUT ORIED'S OLDER
THEN I AM SO I CALL HIM MY BIG BROTHER EVEN THOUGH I OUT
WEIGH HIM BY ABOUT 30 POUNDS. HE REMINDS ME OF THIS TOO.
I
ARRIVED AT TUCKER'S CAMP ABOUT NOON ON SATURDAY AND
AFTER I GOT THE PICKUP AND CAMPER PARKED AND PLUGGED IN
I LAID DOWN TO REST FOR AWHILE. WHEN I WOKE UP THE CAMP
WAS JUMPING. IT WAS FULL OF PEOPLE AND ORIED WAS BUSY. I
WENT OUT AND HELPED HIM. IT WAS JUST LIKE OLD TIMES.
AFTER THINGS QUIETED DOWN WE WENT OVER AND HAD SUPPER
WITH MOM. THIS BECAME THE PATTERN FOR ALL WEEK. MOM SAID
THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD BOTH OF HER SONS HELPING
HER AT THE SAME TIME.
AT
SUPPER TIME ORIED WOULD FIX SUPPER AND I WOULD WASH
DISHES. MOM THOUGHT THAT WAS NICE. THEN AFTER SUPPER
ORIED AND I WOULD GO BACK TO HIS CABIN AND SIT ON THE
PORCH AND TALK ABOUT OLD TIMES, NEW TIMES, NOW TIMES AND
ANYTHING ELSE WE THOUGHT ABOUT. IT WAS GREAT. SOMETIMES
JACK ESTAVAN A NEIGHBOR OF MOMS THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR
YEARS WOULD COME SIT WITH US. MOM IS 92 YEARS OLD AND
COUNTING AND WE DECIDED SHE WOULD OUT LIVE ALL THREE OF
US.
IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY FISH YOU CAN CATCH SITTING ON A
PORCH. MOST OF THEM ARE THE SKINLESS KIND AND THAT'S THE
BEST KIND TO CATCH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO CLEAN THEM. ALL
YOU HAVE TO DO IS BAG THEM AND PUT THEM IN THE DEEP
FREEZE OR COOK AND EAT THEM. WE DID SOME OF THAT ALSO.
I
HAD TAKEN SOME OF MY VOO-DOO JUICE I USE TO ATTRACT
CATFISH TO MY LINES AND SOME WEENIES FOR BAIT BUT
BROTHER KEPT ME SO BUSY AND THE WEATHER WAS SO BAD I
DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO USE ANY OF IT. I GAVE SOME OF MY
VOO-DOO JUICE TO SOME FISHERMEN THAT HAD RENTED THE
CABIN I WAS SUPPOSE TO STAY IN AND THEY CAUGHT A BUNCH
OF CATFISH SO THEY GAVE ME SOME. THEY WERE ALREADY
SKINNED AND ALL I HAD TO DO WAS PUT THEM IN THE FREEZER.
I GAVE SOME OTHER FISHERMEN THE REST OF MY VOO-DOO JUICE
AND THEY GAVE ME SOME MORE FISH. THIS GETS EVEN BETTER.
I GAVE SOME OTHER FISHERMEN MY WEENIES AND YES YOU GUESS
IT. MORE FISH WITH THE SKIN OFF. I LIKE THIS PORCH
FISHING. IT'S A WHOLE LOT EASIER THAN GOING OUT IN A
BOAT, TYING OUT LINES, BAITING LINES, RUNNING LINES AND
CLEANING FISH. I MAY NEVER DO ANY OTHER KIND OF FISHING
AGAIN.
I
SPENT THE WEEK PORCH FISHING, VISITING, AND HELPING
AROUND THE CAMP. I BROUGHT HOME AN ICE CHEST FULL OF
FISH, EAT FISH WHILE I WAS DOWN THERE, AND HAD ONE OF
THE BEST TRIPS OF MY LIFE. I WAS SAD TO HAVE TO GO HOME
BUT AFTER ALL THAT'S WHERE MY WIFE IS AND I LOVE HER
DEARLY. WE'VE BEEN MARRIED 47 YEARS AND I WANT TO STAY
THAT WAY. I DID MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR THE NUMBER 2 CABIN
AGAIN FOR THE FIRST WEEK IN JUNE AND WILL TRY TO MAKE A
TRIP WITH DON AND ART THEN. BUT IF THEY BACK OUT AGAIN
I'LL GO BACK BY MYSELF AND PORCH FISH.
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COPYRIGHT
1999
