Ever had one of the days where you wake up and would rather have a Mulligan? One of those days that should be stricken from the record books? Today was that day for me.
The day started off at 5am after having stayed up too late watching the NBA Playoffs. Rolled out of bed and stepped in some unholy mixture of slime and what I believe to be cat hair. This wasn’t just your average “it brushed my foot” step; this was a 200-pound smash it between your toes step. After a half sleepy hobble to the bathroom for a delousing of my foot, I made my way to the kitchen for some much-needed caffeine. As I am tearing the freezer apart, I realize I used the last of it yesterday. No worries, I can stop by Starbucks on the way to work.
I pull out of the driveway with plenty of time to spare. Make it half a mile from the house and I’m being pulled over by the local PD. Seems my truck was spotted leaving a gas station without paying for about 80 dollars in fuel. I asked him, “How does that happen when everything is ‘prepay’ these days”? The office looks at my gauge and sees about 1/4 tank left. Laughs, apologizes and tells me to have a nice day. I still have a few minutes to make a coffee run and take off.
I walk into the office and hear a mixture of alarms and ciaos. At least I have an over priced coffee, who’s name I can’t pronounce, in my hand. Work never let up. Call after call. No lunch break. 3pm rolled up and I couldn’t wait to hit the road.
Friday afternoon traffic in the city is always a bear. As my luck would have it, I get in behind a student driver. This wasn’t your average student driver. This one rode the breaks, drifted all over the road and drove 5-10 mph under the speed limit the entire way home. At this point I am seriously thinking I have offended the Karma Gods recently. It can’t get any worse can it?
I finally make it home in one piece. I have used up every ounce of patience that I have left in me. My wife calls and says she will be working late. Being the crafty man that I am, I see an opportunity to have that Mulligan I prayed for this morning. Load the truck, drop the hammer and set my course to the closest water hole I can find. Aside from an all out Zombie Apocalypse, nothing is going to keep me off the water today.
Not a single fish or bite the entire evening, one great big goose egg of a trip. As I watched the sun setting on the Oklahoma plain, I remembered something my father told me as a kid. “Any day on the water, beats a day in the office.” I took in a deep breath, closed my eyes and listened to the silence of freedom.
I have an amazing family, the best job in the world, good friends, freedom and a few nice toys. I really had nothing to be complaining about in the first place. As I sit here writing this, I look back and realize this was a pretty good day after all. Funny how fishing can make you remember what’s important in this world!
“It’s not a bad idea to occasionally spend a little time thinking about things you take for granted. Plain everyday things.” ~ Evan Davis
Rock Chalk Hawg Hunting
Richard W. Gullotto
