Fishing for poison ivy (Grover Avenue SW)
Writing in Augmented Space
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Script
Keep trudging down that old dirt road. [sfx: traffic noise] As you wind around a curve, look to your left. See that little lake coming into view? Pull your car over next to that patch of weeds on the shore of the lake. Hop out of your car and stand on the road, peering out over that lake. [sfx: sound of the wind blowing through grass]
As you step out of your car, be careful where you go. Be sure not to step into those weeds and brush along the shoreline. I’ll be sure I don’t. It was in that spot right down there where I got poison ivy all over my legs when I was 10 years old. I’m comfortable looking at the lake from the road.
It was a summer night when my dad and I decided to go fishing like we did almost every night. We loaded up our gear in the back of that old Chevy and headed to the lake. As my dad passed the landing to the lake that’s slightly to your left, I said, “I thought we were going to Round Lake tonight. You passed the dock.”
“I know,” my dad said as he pulled the truck to the size of the road where your car is now parked. “This spot up here is the best for sunnis.” [sfx: sound of a loud truck in background]
I was hesitant, but grabbed my pole out of the bed of the truck and headed down to the shore. Those weeds brushed against my legs as I ran toward the lake and casted my line into the water. [sfx: sound of a splash] That water rippled, and the sound of waves was all that could be heard on the calm summer evening.
Almost instantly, my bobber sunk below that water, and I reeled my line in. It was a decent sized sunni. I unhooked it from the line and put it in the bucket that was sitting in the weeds right here. My dad and I caught our limit that night, reeling in good-sized fish left and right and tossing them into the bucket.
Look to the other side of the lake to those trees along the shore. That’s where a duck caught our attention as it swam around in the water. [sfx: sound of a duck] The sun started setting over the lake in front of us, and the birds were chirping. [sfx: birds chirping] We decided it was time to head home, so we reeled in our lines, the water in front of you moving as the fishing line ran through it. I grabbed the bucket and headed through those weeds and into the truck.
It wasn’t until the next day that I woke up scratching my legs. And eventually, the sores from the poison ivy got infected, but that isn’t what’s important here. It’s the fact that I got to spend time with my dad fishing on that lake and enjoying the beautiful scene that lies in front of you. It taught me that contentment can come from being with those you love. What matters is finding satisfaction in the little things in life, like an old fishing pole and rusty bucket, and cherishing the time we have with those we love.
As you turn around and head to your car behind you, try to find contentment in the little things in your life. When you get your car back onto the road, turn right onto the gravel road. [sfx: traffic noise] There’s another lake just a mile down the road.