"Well, come back here with me", the old man said as he put his arm around the boy and headed for his spot the stern.
They never even asked each other's name as they began to fish. The old man quietly baited hooks for the boy, removed his fish, and made sure the man in coveralls next to him did not squeeze the young boy out. He helped the boy fight several large fish, and cheered with him as they brought these monsters in over the rail.
I would tell you that they fished the rest of the day together, but actually, the old man never fished again the entire trip. He spent his time helping that youngster gain self confidence and respect from the men around him. He never complained, never raised his voice - except to praise a particularly nice fish, and never stopped smiling. All the way back to the dock, the two of them re-fought every fish several times over. And when it came time to leave, the old man gave the fish to the young boy to take home, a gesture that would be forever remembered.
Sometimes we never know the results of what we do for other people. Sometimes we see a scene like this played out and wonder what the ultimate outcome would be for the two people involved.
I can't tell you what the outcome of this day was for the old man, other than the obvious satisfaction he had in helping a young boy. But, I can tell you what happened to that young boy. You see, that young boy was me.
I never saw that old man again, and regretfully never even knew his name. That was almost fifty years ago, and I am sure that he has gone to his final reward. I often wonder about just who he was. What special privilege, other than old age, did he possess that garnered him a stern spot on that boat. I used to wonder why he would give up an entire fishing trip just to help a young boy he did not know.
It's only as I have grown older, that I have realized the significance of what that old man did for me that day. At the time, I thought he was just too old to fish. But I know now that he gave up his day for a hurting youngster he didn't even know.
I love fishing; I truly do. But as the years pass, I find myself enjoying the experience of just being there as much as actually catching the fish. Maybe my time is coming to help some young boy or girl find their passion. Maybe I am realizing what that old man was all about. Time will tell, but for now, I'm keeping my eyes open for the opportunity to be a friend to a hurting kid. I owe it to that old man I never knew.
