The Allure of Fame

The Allure of Fame

In looking back at those whimsical years of my youth, I realized that some of my best ideas came to me when sitting on the steps of my parent’s sidewalk.  These thoughts just flooded over me while watching the beautiful moonrise over Jackson’s Des Moines River Valley. On one particular evening of deep contemplation, I had a major flash of inspiration, something that I had never thought of before.  “Why do I need all these expensive lures and test lines to get the big prize fish that always seemed to elude my grasp?”  This thought came to me like I imagine it did for people like Henry Ford with the automobile, or Thomas Edison with the light bulb; I had in that moment the idea of the century, “I should throw away my fishing equipment and keep the process of catching fish as simple as possible.  All I needed was to use my dad’s garden rake to catch fish!”  When heading back to the garage for my tool of enlightenment (dad’s rake), floods of uncertainty came over me.  Honesty of mind followed me with each step that I took, all the while pricking my conscious as I recalled some of my past ideas that needed more work in the developmental phase. 

 But I had to be honest, some of my dreams worked wonderfully, while others would not go down in recorded history as being confused with Professor Einstein’s, shall we say.

Not daunted by my past near successes, I thought this new idea was going to be my best one yet.  Spear fishing the big anglers with the garden rake was going to be revolutionary, and perhaps many others would use this method in the future.  After all, it was easier than using a fishing line that might very well get snagged under some boulder, or sunken tree branch as happened to me and others so many times in the past.  

So with much excitement, I rose early the next morning, and as I neared the dam, I could see the early morning mist rising from the water as it went over the 10-foot drop to the foaming froth below.  The river was now at the perfect level to see giant pike swimming between the rocks.  I knew at that very moment, it was the day for my premier path to success.  Realizing that these monsters of the deep would swim away if I made too much noise, I crept down to the water’s edge with all the stealth I could invoke, all the while l softly tip toed over the slippery boulders to the spot where the water was churning the least.  As I watched the spotted monsters leisurely making their way between the rocks, I could tell that my plan was going to work out perfectly.  I knew that just as a big game hunter pauses to get the most opportune shot, I too raised my rake very slowly, and just at the right moment, I would swing down to my target below and success would be mine.  But my fortunes were about to change. Without warning, my opportunity was stolen from my grasp.  At that dreadful moment, my foot flew out from underneath me.  As my world was turning upside down, literally, I could see as if in slow motion, the slimy green moss covered bolder beneath where my feet once were. In that disastrous point in time of divine comedy, I saw my life flash before my eyes as I flipped upside down.  I landed on my side with a great thud, At that moment, I began feel cold icy water rushing into my pants and underwear, and I knew at that precise moment in time that,  “This is why I hadn’t seen the “Old Timers” doing this very thing.”  As the icy waters flooded over my body, I knew that I needed to find a dry rock in order to regain my mobility, but more importantly, my dignity.  But first, I quickly looked around to see if anyone was watching me.  I was safe, but the cold water did not help take away the pain on my bruised ribs that I felt at that moment.  I limped to the shore holding my side, and began tending to my wounds.  As I sat there looking at my battered and bruised body, I looked up only to see several huge Pike and Walleyes slipping from my grasp in waters right before me.  All the while, they seemed to smile at my misfortune, but all I could do was to respond by wincing in pain.  

After about an hour of warming in the rising sun, my wilted spirits were beginning to be rejuvenated.  I now felt that I was ready for another round of spearing with my new invention.  This time I watched each rock and boulder as I stepped cautiously making sure that I didn’t repeat my prior miscalculations.  Just before reaching my previous point of defeat, I first got a firm footing and then stood perfectly still not wanting to ruin my one chance at success. As I stood their waiting, my thoughts wondered to my prospect at glory.  I could just see all the “Old Timers” licking their collective lips as I hauled in the giant that they could only dream about. 

 At that point, my thoughts went wild, I saw myself in the paper with my giant Pike in hand, smiling at the camera, chest puffed out and people from near and far asking me what my secret was in catching such a large trophy fish.  I would then be the envy of old and young anglers alike.  Maybe even someone from the Minneapolis Star would come down from the Twin Cities to interview me and ask me what I did to catch this giant fish.  In looking back now after many years have gone by, I still remember that day so very well.  It will be forever ingrained in my memory as the day that went down in the books.

Recalling that decisive turning point, out on the rocks, I knew at that moment, I should not make a move or a sound.  So, in order to remain as still as possible, I held my breath until I felt my head started getting light from the lack of oxygen, but I didn’t want to lose my chance at glory, it was here in front of me, I just knew it!  Then it happened, the largest Northern Pike I had ever seen was sliding through the rocks before my very eyes.  It was here, my chance at being famous.  I waited until I could stand it no more, I let out my breath and at the same time I came down hard with my garden rake, and it indeed met its mark.  Time stood still; nothing seemed to move during that epoch moment.  After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, there appeared to be no movement from my trophy fish.  I somehow knew that it was dead by the deep thrust of my rake into its back.  I then began to relax my hold on this colossus from the underworld.  But then, all of a sudden the giant pike decided to move and move it did.  I grabbed hold of my rake, and I then realized that it was moving up stream very quickly, and I unwillingly began traveling with it.  Looking down at my feet at that moment, I quickly understood that if I took one more step, I would be standing on the green slime that nearly ended my life just a few minutes before.  I jerked back with all my might and I could feel the monster starting to give up in its effort to move upstream.  Slowly, with much excruciating effort, I agonizingly pulled the giant towards the shore.  Every muscle in my body ached as I slowly hauled my prize away from my own potential doom.  As I was slowly dragging the giant inch by inch to the shoreline, I felt my strength slowly ebbing from my body, and I knew that I didn’t have the fortitude to make it to the shoreline.  I realized that I needed to tap an unknown source of strength from somewhere in my being, and just like Edison, a flash of light came to me.  I remembered the story of an old man who fished for a giant whale from my grade school reading class. I couldn’t remember the story’s title; it might have been “Mautly Dick” or something like that.  I do though remember the fisherman’s name, it was “Ahab”.  He too had to fight with his white giant of the depths.  As I tried to remember more of the story, my mind began fogging over.  I soon started to feel weaker and weaker as my thoughts began escaping me as soon as they entered my brain.  Somehow I had to remember how it turned out for Ahab.  This is what would give me the will and strength to go on.  Nothing seemed to come to mind though, so at that critical moment in time; I decided to write my own conclusion to the story.  This is how it would end, “Ahab would be successful in catching his fish, and so I too was going to do the same.”  He didn’t give up, and neither would I. I strained with all my might giving one last great heave; I now felt my legs having renewed strength as I neared the shore. With my one last ounce of effort, I heaved the giant that I now called “Mautly,” to the shoreline.  I knew that I was now going to be famous and admired by the world, just like Ahab was.  

As I lay there gazing down at my prize of a lifetime, I imagined myself on the front page of many different newspapers with my giant pike hanging behind my equally giant smile.  But, as with many great successes, there can be great failures as well.  As I was smiling at my trophy fish, I noticed my brother Ken approaching from downstream.  He arrived I noticed carrying his fishing pole and all his many lures in hand.  Looking at all his expensive gear, I thought to myself, “I will not have to spend another dime in the future to catch lesser prizes.”  Refocusing my eyes to my brother once again, I looked up to see him gazing thoughtfully at my prize, not saying a word.  I now expected him to be in somewhat awe over being the brother of a famous person to be, but that is not was happened.  Instead of gleefully congratulating me, he instead, took all the wind out of my sails by saying, “You know brother, I think that it is illegal to fish with a garden rake.”  Then, at that very moment in hearing my brother's words, my future glories came crashing down on my head.  Instead of joy, guilt swept over me and I could only get mad at myself for not checking out the laws on this first.  I remember seeing in the rulebook a picture of a spear, but no image of a garden rake.  Since I didn’t know for sure at the time, it definitely was too late to find out now.  I had already caught the fish and I use the term “caught” rather loosely.  Ken then patted me on the shoulder with a look of consolation.  He then started home.  As he climbed the riverbank, I noticed something hanging from his stringer.  It was two very large Northern Pike that he was trying to hang onto.  I could see that he was struggling with their weight, so I called to Ken and said that I would help with his catch.  

As I was walking with Ken in silence, we both were lost in thought.  For myself, my reach for glory was not to be.  With some far reaching desire for consolation, my thoughts went to Edison, (my childhood hero) once more, being a positive person that he was, I remember reading about him being asked by a rather negative reporter about his 1000 attempts at finding the right filament for his light bulb, “How did it feel to fail 1000 times?”  By which Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1000 times.  The bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.” So with the same conviction, I reevaluated my recent endeavors in a positive outlook as an attempt in finding the easier way to a rather hard task of fishing. Upon further reflection as we walked up our driveway, I wondered, “Did Ahab have to let go of his fish that he speared?”