Pa's Fishin' Spot

Surrounded by the lush greenery, Pa and I just sat there on the bank of the dirty brown colored pond. The sparse foliage provided slight shade as we sat there trying to reel in a fish. I started to worry about my hair frizzing up in the intense heat of the summer day. "Pa, why can't I fish?" I queried. He replied, "Because Missy, you're a woman. After I catch this we're gonna head back to the house so your Ma can show you how to make a mean sammich out of it." I pondered this for a bit, but then I got distracted by the clouds above. In the deep blue sky they looked like ordinary objects out-of-place in the lofty abyss. Mops, sponges, and one sort of looked like a whisk. The list goes on and on, kind of like a grocery list. I started to wonder if this summer day was meant just for me. "I got a fighter on the line! Missy, grab the net!" I did as I was told and rushed over to the tackle box and fished out a small retractable net. As Pa yanked the fish out of the water, I quickly positioned the net under the fish and caught it. Pa and I shared a quick cliché father-daughter embrace. With all the excitement going on we didn't even notice the sky had turned a deep maroon-red color. We both packed up and headed home. Back to my safe haven, the kitchen.

I learned a lot that summer day. I'll never forget that day on the river bank, where I learned my true place in the world.