Posts by Mark Mc
1 - 6 of 62 Posts
Joined
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9,314 Posts
....but what lay ahead was the cruelest joke imaginable.
Martin woke up in his bed, soaked in sweat. He was in disbelief. He looked at the clock...... 5:17 am. The dream had lasted over 4 hours....and it was so real, the smells & sounds, he was still in denial. Was this some sort of omen? Was this the mother of all "deja vu's" ? He sat up in bed....his wife grumbled "what's the matter honey"? All he could say was "I can't go in to work today.....I just can't"
He felt both giddy and sick. Could this be what the salty dogs spoke of? This tuna affliction? He always thought the "12 step program" was just a cute joke. Now he realized it was no joke....it was real. And like the heroin addict, he needed a fix soon.
He got up and wandered around the house, not knowing what to do. He just knew he had to get out tuna fishing somehow. Then the idea hit him....."I wonder if anyone from i-fish is offering rides"....so he logged on & started perusing the posts. And there it was, an offer from a guy named_______________________
Martin woke up in his bed, soaked in sweat. He was in disbelief. He looked at the clock...... 5:17 am. The dream had lasted over 4 hours....and it was so real, the smells & sounds, he was still in denial. Was this some sort of omen? Was this the mother of all "deja vu's" ? He sat up in bed....his wife grumbled "what's the matter honey"? All he could say was "I can't go in to work today.....I just can't"
He felt both giddy and sick. Could this be what the salty dogs spoke of? This tuna affliction? He always thought the "12 step program" was just a cute joke. Now he realized it was no joke....it was real. And like the heroin addict, he needed a fix soon.
He got up and wandered around the house, not knowing what to do. He just knew he had to get out tuna fishing somehow. Then the idea hit him....."I wonder if anyone from i-fish is offering rides"....so he logged on & started perusing the posts. And there it was, an offer from a guy named_______________________
Joined
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9,314 Posts
But as he scrounged for the cell phone he felt a......"YOW! What the...." ....he pulled his had out and saw the 3 ounce Megabait iron jig hanging from his thumb by one of the hooks. His first thought...."not to the barb, please"....he looked closer through the blood dribbling down, and sure enough the barb was all the way in. Now he was feeling both the stinging pain, and the fear & embarassment that he'd have to miss the fishing trip. He couldn't bear that thought. So right there in the middle of the busy boat ramp, he yelled out "IS THERE A DOCTOR OR A NURSE AROUND HERE?!!!!!"
Several people immediately gathered around.....no doctors or nurses, just concerned fishers. One of them was Puffin (Big Jon), walking barefoot through the ramp slime. He said "here lemme just yank it out....no big deal." But to Martin, the thought of this fellow doing surgery on his thumb scared him more than anything. "No, No....I want a REAL medical professional." Just then a stocky fisherwoman showed up and said "let me take a look at that." It was Nancy, the Sea Jypsea!! Martin gave her a puzzled look. "Don't worry, I'm an ER nurse. I've removed more hooks than you've caught tuna." Martin was shaking. Nancy said "look, if I'm gonna get this out, your gonna have to hold still." Being the take-charge person she is, she ordered him over to the nearest boat rail. She grabbed one of the mooring lines, and without asking him, she started lashing his arm & his hand down to the rail, as though it was some kinky bondage ritual. He protested, but it was too late. She tied it very tight, with her special tuna jig knots. Then Nancy reached into a little zipper-bag on her waist....and pulled out a piece of heavy dental ribbon floss. Some other Salty Dog butted in and handed Martin a big shot of Tequila, which he graciously accepted. Nancy said "gimme that I need it". This shocked the growing crowd.....a drunken nurse? But no....she poured the tequila on the wound, washing the blood away and giving a little sterilization at the same time. Nancy put the floss around the hook right where it penetrated. The with the moves of a surgeon, she pulled on the floss with one hand while moving the hook in a circular motion with the other hand. Martin grimaced....the unknown Salty Dog poured tequila forcibly into his mouth. After about 40 seconds of this hook-pulling dance (which seemed like an eternity to Martin), the hook popped out. A big cheer rang out at the ramp. Martin gave Nancy a big, tequila-laden kiss. She wrapped up the wound & suggested that he go get a tetanous shot. But Martin had other thoughts....."How can I salvage this fishing day? My thumb is in pain....I can't reel or hold a rod with this hand..."
But Martin would figure out a way to fish that day, no matter what.......
Several people immediately gathered around.....no doctors or nurses, just concerned fishers. One of them was Puffin (Big Jon), walking barefoot through the ramp slime. He said "here lemme just yank it out....no big deal." But to Martin, the thought of this fellow doing surgery on his thumb scared him more than anything. "No, No....I want a REAL medical professional." Just then a stocky fisherwoman showed up and said "let me take a look at that." It was Nancy, the Sea Jypsea!! Martin gave her a puzzled look. "Don't worry, I'm an ER nurse. I've removed more hooks than you've caught tuna." Martin was shaking. Nancy said "look, if I'm gonna get this out, your gonna have to hold still." Being the take-charge person she is, she ordered him over to the nearest boat rail. She grabbed one of the mooring lines, and without asking him, she started lashing his arm & his hand down to the rail, as though it was some kinky bondage ritual. He protested, but it was too late. She tied it very tight, with her special tuna jig knots. Then Nancy reached into a little zipper-bag on her waist....and pulled out a piece of heavy dental ribbon floss. Some other Salty Dog butted in and handed Martin a big shot of Tequila, which he graciously accepted. Nancy said "gimme that I need it". This shocked the growing crowd.....a drunken nurse? But no....she poured the tequila on the wound, washing the blood away and giving a little sterilization at the same time. Nancy put the floss around the hook right where it penetrated. The with the moves of a surgeon, she pulled on the floss with one hand while moving the hook in a circular motion with the other hand. Martin grimaced....the unknown Salty Dog poured tequila forcibly into his mouth. After about 40 seconds of this hook-pulling dance (which seemed like an eternity to Martin), the hook popped out. A big cheer rang out at the ramp. Martin gave Nancy a big, tequila-laden kiss. She wrapped up the wound & suggested that he go get a tetanous shot. But Martin had other thoughts....."How can I salvage this fishing day? My thumb is in pain....I can't reel or hold a rod with this hand..."
But Martin would figure out a way to fish that day, no matter what.......
Joined
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9,314 Posts
....yes it is Marty coming over to throw them a bag of swimbaits. But our heros already have plenty of Channel Island Chovies. Maybe the problem is not the lures. Could it be the presentation, the technique? Or something else that is repelling the tuna? What did the whole crew have in common? Was it the breakfast they all had.....something they got on their hands? Unbeknownst to the crew it was............
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