freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 215
PETER
ASH GEDEN
LUCK
s h outed Bill, as he gently l owe re d t h e f i sh to th e g ro u n d a n d
c radled it lovingly to the wa te r’ s ed g e . O n ce aga i n h e w i s h e d
h e had a photo but settled fo r a l i n ge r i n g l o o k a n d a l ov i n g k i s s
o n the leviathan’s forehea d . T h e f i s h l ay s t i l l i n t h e s h a l l ow
m argin for a few seconds b e fo re g e nt ly gl id i n g o f f i n to t h e
d e pths. What a wonderful l i fe , Bi ll th o u gh t a s h e l ay b a c k o n c e
m ore with his hands behind hi s h e ad .
He had no desire to cas t o u t a ga i n a n d d r i f te d i n to s u c h a
p l easant s leep, it was go n e s eve n t h i r t y wh e n h e wo ke . H e
l o oked at his watch and t ho ugh t h e h ad b e t te r s t a r t p a c k i n g
away his g ear, for Pete had to l d h i m he wo u l d g o by n i n e , a n d
B i ll didn’t want to overstay h i s we lc o m e. B e s i d e s , a t t h e s p e ed
B i ll put away his tackle, it wo u ld b e ei gh t t h i rt y a ny way by t h e
t i me he walked up to the ho us e . I t wa s e i gh t t we n t y- f ive wh e n
h e finally reached the hous e , a n d af te r t y i n g h i s ro d s to t h e
c rossbar of his bike, he set o f f ro u n d t he ho u s e to f i n d Pe te
to thank him for letting hi m f i s h a n d a ls o te l l o f t h e t wo g re a t
f i s h that had come his way. Pe te wa s n owh ere to be fo u n d . B i l l
l o oked all over for him bu t c o ul d n’ t f i n d h i m a ny whe re . “ M u s t
h ave gone early,” Bill mutte re d. “ O h we ll , n eve r mi n d , I wo u l d
h ave liked to at least have s ai d g o o dbye t ho u gh .”
Bill slung his rucksack o n h i s b ac k a n d s e t o f f d own t h e
d r iveway on his journey ho m e , tu rn i n g le f t o u t o f t h e l a rg e
ga teway and pedaled off d ow n t he l an e towa rd s t h e v i l l a g e .
By the time he got to the o u t sk i r t s o f t he v i l l a g e i t wa s j u s t
g rowing dark, and about o n e h u n d re d ya rd s f ro m h o me , h e
m et the village bobby. “He ll o , B i ll ,” s ai d t h e b o b by. “ He l l o ,
s a rge,” replied Bill. The o l d c o p p er eye d B i l l ’ s f i s h i n g t a c k l e
w i th suspicion and said, “Cl o s ed s ea s o n , i n n i t ? ” “ Er, ye a h ,” B i l l
re plied sheepishly. “Where h ave yo u b e en t h e n ? Ca n’ t h ave
FR E ELINE 85
