The following fish story is a tale that you, the reader, must decide whether fact or fiction:
I walk into Hy-Vee Grocery Store in Albert Lea. A man hollers at me, “Hey, Bob, I’ve got the fish story of my life to tell you.” I recognize him with his wife as retired farmers from the Hollandale area and also members of East Freeborn Lutheran Church. I know that they have a place just outside of Longville, Minn.
He tells me that opening day of fishing he was fishing on Woman Lake. The temp was in the low 40s with a light rain. The temp starts to drop just as a catches a “big” largemouth bass. He measures it. The fish is 25-plus inches long. The Minnesota state record is 8 lbs., 5 oz., and his bass weighs more than 10 lbs. It begins to snow with wind. He takes a picture of the bass on his cell phone, releases it (bass season was not open) and heads for his dock in a snowstorm.
He asks if I would like to see a picture of the big bass. “Most certainly,” was my reply. He gets out his cell phone, fumbles with it, but can’t find the picture.
Here is where you, the reader, come in. Is his story fact or fiction?
The following is for the birds:
All the spring birds are here. We have seen bluebirds, catbirds, robins, red wing blackbirds, wrens, male and female grosbeaks, hummers, male and female finches, ducks, geese, pelicans, ground sparrows, mud hens, grackles, plus some we don’t recognize. A pair of red-headed woodpeckers are nesting in an oak tree at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church. A pair of Canadian honkers are nesting at Big Island State Park.
We are enjoying a once-a-week outing. This week was the post office, bank, grocery store, drive-through for food in the evening and then on to Big Island State Park to eat. While at the park we drove around to see all the critters and birds.
June is a busy month, as per the following:
• June 14 - Flag Day
• June 17 - Daughter Deb’s birthday. Happy birthday, Deb
• June 19 – The 19th of each month, flags lowered in recognition of coronavirus victims
• June 21 – Father’s Day. Remember Dad
• June 21 – First day of summer
Throughout the month, notice the flag on the mermaid in the Danish park in Albert Lea to honor all police. The blue middle stripe is for the police. If red, for firemen. If white, for medical.
Albert Lea had a very big interesting promotion encouraging, “Chalk the Lake Walk.” The idea was to chalk the sidewalks around Fountain Lake and for business owners around town to chalk up their sidewalks and driveways. It made my morning walks very interesting. Two of the chalks I enjoyed were Walgreen’s, “Heroes Work Here,” and Cheers Liquor’s, “Chalk the Walk.” (The word “Lake” was somehow omitted!)
Short shorts:
1. Give a man a fish and you will feed him for the day. Teach a man to fish and he’s going to spend a fortune on gear he’ll use twice a year.
2. A drake mallard chasing a hen mallard in full flight touched my cap.
3. The uffda translation is, “Oh my goodness.” This in turn can mean either good or bad.
4. Remember the saying, “One for Elvis,” meaning the top button was not buttoned on a guy’s shirt?
5. When Governor Cuomo of New York pleaded for medical help, Genie said she would have gone if she was in her 40s.
6. The hottest selling item in the area is sidewalk chalk.
— — —
Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.