The guys from the club invited me to dinner before but I wanted to stop in and see an old bud. The Shady Rest looked as inviting as it always does. It was past the prime season of rose blooms but the outside bar was perfect for a few Guinness and a sold cheesesteak sand-which. When I got their I texted Bobby and soon he was saddled up to the bar to catch up. It was a little fly fishing but mostly catching
up about life and how things have went, are going, and hopefully will be. I see a-lot of my Dad in Bob. My father born in 1946 and Bob in 1948. Both hard workers from the womb and dedicated to their work and businesses. My father is in the process, hopefully, and getting out and enjoying the rest of his life doing whatever he and my stepmother want. I am sure, like Bob, they really want, or can't, separate themselves from something they have done for, say 60 years. I guess it would be giving up, or having to stop fly fishing, or fishing in general. Things do become part of your DNA. I found that with being a Newark fireman. I would go back in a minute, well I'd hit the gym first just to get back in quick shape.
On my way out I noticed one of Abe Pieciak's works on the wall. when I think of him I think of Martha's Vineyard. Why, because he lives there. But his works are just fantastic and he has recently teamed up with Vineyard Vines. You just never know when new and good opportunities present them selves.
I left sooner than I wished but I had to hit the meeting. I walked past Bob's pick-up and it just looked like a good photo. You can a lot about a man from the vehicle they drive and the stickers they have adorned on it. It almost like a stamp, a tattoo. So what does this tattoo tell me? Here's a guy who, must have started the Atlantic Saltwater Flyrodders, because he has #1 after it, he loves the NY Rangers, is a Marine and Vietnam Veteran, had something to do with something called Pop Fleyes, and is parked at a place called the Shady Rest next to a fence with roses on top. Add Alexis and a cat and I think you know who might drive this. It's not the black van, but it'll still do the beach buggy thing.
I got out of the Trip-Boro First Aid building about 915 and wanted to fish somewhere down there since I was there. My first stop wasn't very exciting as the tide had just switched from ebb to flood.
And then close to home I couldn't help myself and just had to throw some black flies into a dropping tide. It's always cool to stop and fly fish even if there's no one home.
