Three Men in a Boat
by Rev. William Batson

My father is 83 years old. He has developed some health problems that require him to eat better and be careful about his activities, especially in the North Carolina heat. He is a simple man who enjoys fishing and country living.

For more years than I can remember he and my mother spent so much of their time in the waterways of coastal North Carolina trolling for flounder to eat and catching crabs to sell to local fish markets. They know these waterways so well that they could navigate them at night with very little light. About nine years ago they moved away from the coast and settled on a small farm. Daddy now fishes in a pond on his land.

I was home recently and my brother (who is eight years younger and got all of the outdoorsman genes) took vacation time to arrange a day of fishing for us – just a father and his two sons. I can not remember the last time this happened, if ever. Daddy wasted no time getting ready for the day and we were off. It was going to be sunny and well over 90 degrees. I packed sunscreen and plenty of water. Daddy simply packed himself.

Once in the boat and on our way, Timmy (he likes to be called Tim but I’m not giving in) said to Daddy, “It’s your day. Which way do you want to go?” Now I realized what was going on. My brother had planned to give my father a day where he was in charge, where he was the one who knew more than his two sons. There is no question that he knows more than I do about fishing and boating. We were there to honor our father. To give him a day to remember, a day to do something that is so much a part of who he is. I will long remember what he told me as we drove home after seven hours on the water: “I never thought I would be able to get back out there. It was a great day.”

Three men in a boat. That’s not so exceptional. The difference was that we were honoring someone who has loved us simply and has no fear in showing it. Thank you, Timmy, for teaching me a life-lesson and thank you, Daddy, for being you.

(Click on pictures to see larger views.)

(c) 2006 by Rev. William Batson.
For personal use of reader and not to be redistributed without permission.