Grandson Bennett was having trouble settling into first grade during the early weeks of school.
He’s a smart little guy and a cheerful one, but found himself getting distracted and making, as he said, bad choices.
So his mother, his teacher and the school counselor devised a plan that would give him rewards for going a certain number of days without getting into trouble.
When they asked, he said he would like his first reward to be a fishing trip. Just me and him.
And so it was arranged. Before long, he had qualified for the fishing trip, so we got him a fishing rod and reel.
We had to delay the trip a week because I stabbed myself in the hand cutting his fishing rod out of the package, but finally the big Saturday came and we found ourselves on the fishing dock at Prague Lake.
We were using meal worms for bait because they were easy and small enough for the little bluegill that I know like to hang out underneath the dock.
Bennett’s bobber started bouncing as soon as he dropped the line in the water, but he had trouble timing the bites from the little fish.
Probably a dozen bites came and went before he hooked one. It was a bluegill, probably three inches long.
He sailed it out of the water, dropped his rod, grabbed the line and held it up for me to see. It was the first fish he’d ever caught completely by himself.
I had brought a camera and was able to snap a picture of his excitement.
We got the hook out and Bennett dropped the fish back in the water, where it no doubt told many stories about its experience in the atmosphere. Later, he caught a bass, about a six-incher.
We fished until Bennett decided he was ready for French fries, then packed up and headed home, more than satisfied with the day and the two fish he’d caught.
The photo in question was taken on a film camera that I’d bought on eBay for $17.50. It took me a while to finish the roll of film, then a little longer to remember to develop it, which happened last week.
When I pulled the film out of the developing tank, Bennett’s excited face almost jumped off the emulsion.
Looking at the photo was almost like experiencing the day again - hanging with a 6-year-old buddy who’s learning to navigate his way in the world and remembering the excitement of a first fish.
It was the best of times. So I printed an 8x12 enlargement, which I’ll frame and hang in my office as a reminder of what’s really important if I ever find myself too caught up in dayto-day stuff.