Let’s Go Fishing, Dad!

In memory of my dad, Marty, who passed on June 4th

Let’s go fishing, Dad!
I’ll wake up Alan; Terri and Mom are still sleeping.
You get the big tackle box and the red Thermos.
Are the poles in the basement?
It’s not light out yet and I can’t really see.

Let’s go fishing, Dad!
The ocean is waiting.
All those boats…which one is ours?
Tell them to start the engines.
Tell the seagulls we’ll be back later.
Let’s go already!
It’s hard to wait.

I like fishing, Dad.
I like the sound of the motor taking us out to sea.
I like the sound of the reels when we cast out the lines.
I like to hear “That looks like a big one, Richie! Reel him in!
Don’t let him get away!
Look at that fish!”

Oh, and the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
And all the nice people who somehow know me,
Even though I don’t know them.

And the seagulls chasing the boat back home.

Who caught the most, Dad, me, you or Alan?
I guess it doesn’t really matter — we’ll have them all for dinner.
You, me and Terri and Alan and Mom.
And then we can get ice cream when Chick the Ice Cream Man comes around in his truck.
Can we?

I like ice cream, Dad.

I’m glad we went fishing.
I like the feeling when I go to bed, like the boat’s still rocking in the waves.
Rocking in the waves.
Rocking me to sleep.

Thanks Dad.
Thanks for taking us fishing.
Fishing was fun.
Thanks.