Fishing has returned now after being banned for the first time in our history. The mood of Tim and may other Rotarians has clearly improved now that they can get back on the water and start killing fish again. It may be a good time to reprint this club fishing story from ten years ago.
The middle-aged man and the sea*.
(With apologies to Earnest Hemmingway.)
Bruce ‘Santiago’ Ludeman had not caught a fish in 84 days, and was beginning to lose the respect of others in his village. Bruce ventured out far to sea, sure his luck would change, and hopeful of catching a fish that would feed all the Rotarians in the village.
At noon on the first day a giant fish took his bait. Unable to pull in the huge fish, Bruce instead found the fish pulling his small skiff further out to sea. For two days and two nights Bruce fought the noble creature. On the third day of his ordeal, the fish began to circle the skiff, indicating his tiredness to the fisherman. Bruce, now completely exhausted and almost in delirium, used all the strength he had left to pull the fish to the boat and stab it with a harpoon, ending the long battle between the man and the tenacious fish. Too weak to haul the fish into the skiff, Bruce lashed it to the side of his boat.
As Bruce journeyed back to the shore, sharks were attracted to the fish. Bruce fought them off with a knife tied to an oar, killing five in the process. Finally, he made it back to shore, returned to his simple shack, and slumped into a deep sleep. Bruce dreamed of his youth, and of white lions on an African beach.
*That was ten years ago Bruce, we might have a different title today.
