Dang it what a freaky day!
Fished the morning early till noon yesterday with one couple. Then at 2:00 took another couple out til dark. Then the boss asked me to bartend for them at the lodge. Left there at 1:00 am and rushed home to a nap. Had one glass of wine and crawled in bed. This morning I just didn't want to get up. Dang it I was tired.
Stumbled to the kitchen to put some coffee on at 5:30. Forgot to put the filter in the basket. Coffee full of grounds. Dang it! Strain a cup of coffee so I don't have to chew it.
Go out to feed the dogs. Noticed the self water jug for them was low. Came back in and strained another cup of coffee. Time for a shower. Gotta remember to fill the dog water jug. Finished shower, got dressed. Mismatched socks. Dang it! Oh well. Nobody's gonna see 'em anyway.
Got in the truck and pulled out of the garage. Got about 4 miles from the house and remembered: Got to fill the dog water jug. Came back home and filled jug. Got in truck and started down street. Forgot sunglasses on kitchen counter. Dang it! Came back home and got sunglasses.
Off to work. Clients were late. 2 hours late. One of them teased me about mismatched socks as we were putting on waders. Dang it!!
Strung up their rods. Put one reel on backwards. Dang it!! Take it off and restring. Their confidence in me is waning fast.
A few days ago somebody borrowed my hat eyes and forgot to give them back. I go to tie on bugs and remember I forgot my reading glasses at the shop. Dang it. Pick big hoppers out of box that a blind man could thread and hope like hell the fish will eat them.
Luckily they could cast. Second cast fish on and morning went a little better.
Afternoon- Same clients. Wind kicks up and one of them is struggling with casting all of the sudden. I'm trying to explain maybe he's just tired as his timing went from a rock solid metronome ticking out 4/4 time to a snapping whip that takes most mule skinners a lifetime to accomplish. He says "Here, show me what you mean."
Take rod. Throw about 4 tailing loop tangles in a row. Want to crawl under a rock. Finally get a cast out and fish eats the hopper. Makes a little run and I put too much pressure on fish. Snaps off. Dang it!!
They get cold and tired after a couple more fish and want to go back to the lodge. We head up the bank to the truck. It's locked. I never lock the truck there. I drop the keys in the floorboard and hit the river. I'm standing at locked truck. Client asks what's wrong? Tell him. He says "Oh, I hit the lock button when I got out." Dang it!
I take a little walk down the road at dusk, in waders and boots. Come to a house, use their phone and call the lodge. Ask them to send someone down with spare key to the truck. Spare key deliverer arrives an hour later. We get in and head for the lodge. Client says "Oh, can we stop at the liquor store to get stuff for Margaritas?"
"Sure" I say, followed by a silent dang it. Liquor store is closed by the time we get there. I tell them not to worry. I'll make them a pitcher of Margaritas at the lodge when we get back and they can take that to their cabin.
Get to lodge. Unload gear and go to make Margaritas. We're out of Margarita mix. Dang it!
I go to kitchen and find fresh limes. Juice them by hand. Add tequila and Grand Marnier. Tastes pretty darned good too. Take it to them and they have decided to just drink Corona tonight. Dang it!!
They thank me for the day, said they enjoyed it and found it to be one of the most entertaining days they have had fishing. Then they tipped me very generously. 2 C notes. I said allowed "Dang it! That's too much." Tried to give it back to them.
One of them said "No, you earned it today."
Dang it what a day!
