Reconnaissance

When I was about 16, I was bedazzled by a young lady who seemed to have everything going for her, yet she still took time to talk to me. This anomaly made me think that my luck with the fairer sex might be changing – or that she was at least a sympathetic soul. She was also mysteriously foreign. In other words, she was from another school district. The real benefit to that was she didn't know my friends. We managed to go out a couple of times and things were going relatively well, especially since I had little to compare it to. Through a leap of faith, I decided that during our next date, I would take her into my confidence. I broached the idea during a phone call. "Confidence?" she said suspiciously. Exactly what do you have in mind" "I want it to be a surprise," I explained. "I'll pick you up Saturday at 7:30 a.m. Just dress for the weather." "What kind of weather?" "The outside kind," I said. That should have been a hint. The morning welcomed a beautifully crisp October day, the morning frost leaving a crystalline icing on the red and golden maple leaves that had drifted from their summer's perch. I arrived at a prompt 8:05 a.m. She was sitting on the porch steps, her mother rapped in a blanket behind her, sipping a cup of coffee. I got out of the car and began walking over, but stopped as her mother gave her a long hug and seemed to be whispering in her ear. Her mother then looked at me skeptically and walked back into their house, leaving her daughter behind. She was wearing a colorful jacket and a pair of walking shoes. A ski hat with one of those little yarn balls was pulled down to ward off the chilled air. "Where are we going?" "Guess," I said as we got into the car. "Are we going to the Pumpkin and Cider Festival?" came the eagerly hopeful reply. "Nope. Guess again." She thought for a moment, "We're going for a walk or picnic at the state park? I've got my camera," she said as she pulled an instamatic from her jacket. "Almost, but even better," I said. "We're going fishing at the park in one of the best secret spots I've ever found!" I was hoping she realized just how much I had to trust someone to reveal such information. She must have been tired, having to get up early in the morning and all. I could tell because we didn't talk much during the drive and she looked to be nodding off as she gazed out the window. The low water levels of autumn made stepping from rock-to-rock easy, so waders weren't necessary – I'd have never expected her to wear waders anyway. I explained how to use the fishing reel, the weight of line, how casting works, the spinners I planned to use, what a smallmouth bass looks like and other pertinent details. I made a few casts in hopes she might catch on, then offered her my spare rod – all rigged and ready to go. "Go ahead, I think I'll just watch for a while," she said as she picked lint off of her jacket. I carefully stepped across the rocks and began casting to pools and below riffles, hoping to find a smallie hiding under the ripples. The water dashing around the rocks made it hard to carry on a conversation, so most of the time I spent casting and hopping. I glanced back now and then and she would smile and wave. She seemed content, busily picking up and examining leaves and snapping an occasional picture of the stream and autumn landscape. I gingerly made my way back to see how she was doing. "You haven't caught a fish, yet," she said with some concern. "That's why they call it fishing and not catching," I explained with a grin. Are you sure you don't want to try? "No… it's alright. I just didn't wear the right clothes," she said as she removed another piece of invisible lint. Yeah, like there are "right clothes" for fishing. My experience playing football dictated it was time to punt. "Do you want to go to the Pumpkin and Cider Festival for a while?" I hadn't even picked up my tackle and she was back at the car. We stopped and actually had a nice time as we walked about the festival's vendors and displays. There was pumpkin spiced everything, pies of all kinds, and hot cocoa. She bought a bag of red delicious apples, feeding one to a wagon's horse. She even took my picture scratching its hip as its tail embarrassingly swished across my face. I was about to daringly take her hand when I spotted my buddies Ron and Loui. I quickly put both hands in my pocket to avoid any forced introductions. "Do you know those guys?" she asked? "What guys?" "The two over there," she said, nodding in their directions. "The ones laughing and waiving. Didn't they say 'Hey, Jimmy'?" "I don't think sooooo…Didn't they say Timmy, though." "Something doesn't seem right with them," she added as we switched directions. Returning to her home, her parents were leisurely raking leaves in the yard. She invited me in and I was aware of her father following. As she left me to grab a couple Cokes from the refrigerator, I felt a hand on my shoulder turning me, another thrust out for a shake, "So, you're Jim, I think she mentioned your name…once. So, where'd you take my little girl?" he asked – or demanded. "Just fishing at the state park, then stopped at the Pumpkin and Cider Festival," I said nervously. "Honest." With a little laugh, he said, "Well, did she fish?" "No," I admitted. "But the fish just weren't biting anyway." "Daddy…" came the warning. It was too late; he was walking me toward what I was soon to find out was his den. On the walls were huge trout, salmon, a near state record bass, walleye, a sailfish and two saltwater somethings. There were antique rods and reels displayed and dozens of framed pictures. He saw my interest and let me browse. I soon began to notice that a lot of those pictures were of my date at about every stage of her life. She was dressed like her parents owned L.L. Bean. In most, she was holding fish of species I couldn't identify – all bigger than my fantasies could imagine. Looking at his daughter, "Sweetheart, do you still write that boy that you met while we were fly fishing for giant brookies in Labrador?" "Daddy…." Another warning and now, a scowl. "I'm not surprised she didn't want to fish in that little crick. Ever since taking up fly fishing and trying her hand on the big ocean stuff, the rest of it kind of bores both of us. I'll give you an 'A' for effort son, but how did you know she liked to fish?" I felt like I'd just switched positions with the horse's tail. I looked across the room to see a sheepish smile and a nearly imperceptible shrug as she avoided my wide eyes. Except for chance meetings at church, we never did much together after that. I wonder if she still has the picture of me standing beside that horse's south-end – bet her dad framed it. Now I know why the Marine Corps puts so much emphasis on reconnaissance. "Okay, this is the wisdom. First, time spent on reconnaissance is never wasted. Second, almost anything can be improved with the addition of bacon." Jasper Fforde Along the Way H2Ohio Students Take Action invites middle and high school classes in northwest Ohio to participate in its outdoor educational program during the school year. The program, administered by ODNR's Division of Wildlife, provides teachers and students with real-world learning opportunities, access to wetland sites, and career exploration opportunities; encouraging students to positively impact their watershed. The program wants to inspire community science participation, civic engagement, and stewardship of the Great Lakes. Students in grades 6 through12 can get hands-on experience contributing to the restoration of critical wetland habitats. The program focuses on wetland restoration projects implemented under Governor Mike DeWine's H2Ohio initiative. It includes a presentation from Division of Wildlife staff, the coordination and completion of a wetland restoration experience, and a hands-on recreation activity aimed at connecting students with local wetlands; meeting Ohio Learning Standards through the Ohio Department of Education. This program is focused on school districts in northwest Ohio, but schools outside the region may apply. Homeschool communities, scout troops, and other youth groups are also eligible. To register or learn more, visit H2Ohio Students Take Action: ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/education-training/environmental-education/sta Step Outside • Tomorrow: Trap Shoot, 1 p.m. Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Delaware Township 186. • Hunter and Trapper Education Class information and registration is found online at www.wildohio.gov or call 1-800-WILDLIFE. • Oct. 20: 75-Bird Trap Shoot, traps open at 11:30 a.m. program starts at 12:30 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. Jackpot is over $400! These trap shoots will continue on the third Sunday of each month. Information: Sandy Thomas, sandthm@aol.com • Oct. 26: Seneca Co. Youth Pheasant Hunt, Oct. 19th Deadline for participation application to be submitted. Apply at pheasantsforever@bright.net.com. Must include name, phone number, address and age of participant. No walk-ons. Must be 17 or younger, possess a hunting license, pay $10 for insurance, and wear a hunter orange vest and/or hat. Lunch, dogs and handlers provided. Information: Don 567-278-1551 or senecacountypheasantsforever.org. Jim Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via e-mail at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com.