freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 175
ASH
DAVEGEDEN
HYDE
ro lls filled to capacity wi t h s o f t c he e s e, fo l l owe d by a t i n o f
ravioli, barbeque beans an d c h i ll i c o n c ar n e fo l l owe d by fo u r
a p ple pies and all washed d ow n wi t h f ive c u p s o f cof fe e .
Having eaten, I felt con s i d era b ly b et te r, o r fo r a wh i l e a t
l e ast . Now all that was nee d ed wa s a fe w ze d s to g e t re a l ly i n
t h e mood again. I had just s et t le d d ow n a n d wa s b e g i n n i n g to
d o ze off when suddenly I c o ul d h e ar b ee p b e ep b e e p b ee p . I
f l e w out of the bedchair to re al i s e i t wa s t he a l a rm c l o c k . I ’ m
s u re the designer of the t h i n g m u st h ave b e e n a c a rp a n gl e r,
fo r it sounded just like the h i gh p i tc h o f t h e O p ton i c, j u s t th e
t h ing to get you out of be d eve ry mo rn i n g in t i m e fo r wo rk ,
b u t it never did. However, wh en I wa s f i sh i n g , i t a lways h a d
t h e same dramatic effect , s en d i n g me s p rawl i n g a c ros s t h e
g round wondering which ro d to s t ri ke . O n t h i s o c c a si o n , I wa s
i n no humorous mood to say t he le a st , a n d t h e d a m n t h i n g wa s
t h rown straight in the dr i n k . I t ’s p ro b a b ly s t i l l d ow n t h e re
g o ing beep beep beep beep eve n n ow.
Three hours later, havi ng s at t hro u gh a n o t h er s e s s i o n o f
s t ubble burning in the fie ld o p p o si te , a n a b o r tive p i c k u p o n
t h e left hand bait , two or t h re e an gl er s c o m i n g ro un d fo r a
c h at and the farmer’s dog h av i ng r u n s tra i gh t t h ro ugh my ro d s
a n d then proceeding to tr y an d l i ck m e to d e a t h , I ’ d g ive n u p
a l l hope of getting any sle ep , s o I j u s t sa t b a c k en j oy i n g t h e
e a rly autumn sunshine. T h e p rev i o us d ay h a d b e e n s o h e c ti c
t h at I hadn’t had time to no t i c e t h e l e ave s t u rn i n g p a l e a u t u m n
s h ades of yellows and gold s . It gave m e t i m e to re a l i s e th a t
c a rp fishing is not only a b o u t p u t ti n g c ar p o n t h e b a n k . I t
t u rned out to be just the to n i c I n e e d ed , an d o n c e a ga i n I wa s
i n the mood. A fish moved i n to my sw i m s h o rt ly a f te rwa rd s ,
f rantically bashing the reed s f ro m o n e s i d e to an o t h e r, a n d I
FR E ELINE 45
