freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 209
PETER
ASH GEDEN
LUCK
G OOD? he asks me,” said B i ll o u t lo u d to h i m s e l f . “ J u s t l et m e
a t ‘em! Sorry, Pete. I didn’ t m ea n to b e r ud e . I ’ m ju s t a l i t t l e
overexcited,” apologised B i l l. “A l r i gh t , B i l l … n o o f fe n c e t ake n ,”
was the reply. “ls there any c ha n c e o f a s p o t o f f is h i n g wh e n t h e
s e ason opens?” asked Bill p le a di n gly. “ N o ne a t a l l , I ’ m a f ra i d ,
B i ll. I’ve mentioned already t ha t t h i s i s my l a s t I d ay h e re , an d
a f ter I’ve gone, the estate w i ll b e l o cke d u p g o o d a n d t i gh t ,”
ex plained Pete.
Bill’s previous joy sudd en ly tu rn e d to d e s p a i r. Pe te s a i d ,
“ B ut if you wish to pop off ho me a n d g ra b yo u r t a c kl e , th e re ’ s
n o reason why you co uldn’ t f i s h t h ro u gh u n t i l t h i s eve n i n g . I
s h an’t be leaving un til ab o u t n i n e .” “ Ye ah , b u t i t ’ s t h e c l o s e d
s e ason till June!” exclaimed B i ll . “ W ho’ s to kn ow ? I t i s n’ t g o i n g
to hurt just this once, is it ? ” s a i d Pe te . “ Yo u ’ re ri gh t ; i t wo n’ t ,
w i ll it? It’s only once after a ll , a n d i t i sn’ t g o i n g to b e a h a b i t ,”
re asoned Bill. Before Pete c o u l d re p ly, o ld B i l l was ra c i n g u p
t h e path towards his bike. “ Se e yo u i n a n h o u r! ” B il l s h o u te d .
Old Bill was back at the l ake w i th i n f i f ty m i n u te s . He wave d
to Pete up on the roof of t h e o ld ho us e a s h e ru s h ed p a s t .
T hank God for all the ready m a d e bo i li e s o f t h i s d ay a n d a g e;
i t was only a couple of s ea s o n s b ac k t h a t h a l f t h e p re c i o u s
f i s hing time was spent we i gh i n g , m i x i n g a n d ro l l i n g va ri o u s
exotic ingredients and the n s t a n di n g ove r a h o t s tove c o o k i n g
t h e damn things. Now all yo u n ee d to d o i s g o to yo u r n e a re s t
t a ckle dealer and there they a re re ady m i xe d, re a dy ro l l ed a n d
re ady cooked to boot . Just di p yo u r h an d i n th e ch e s t f re e ze r
a n d away you go.
Bill set up his tackle at th e wa te r’ s e dg e , n o t ye t h av i n g p i c ke d
h i s swim. He methodi cally ti e d e ac h k n o t wi t h p re c is i o n a n d
te sted each one in turn. He h a d c ho se n h i s tru s t y el eve n - fo o t
FR E ELINE 79
