olcaptain
Senior Member
Back to School Edition 2012
I have spent more time than usual this summer with my oldest grandson Jacob “Big Jake” LaFavor. He will be returning to school this year as a 10th grader which, unbeknownst to him, is usually a pivotal time in a young man’s life.
As I write this I find it very natural to reflect on my own years in school. I began my career in the late 50’s as a first grader at John Love Elementary School. Those of us living in the Phoenix Avenue area couldn’t afford fancy little pencil boxes (and to be truthful, I didn’t know they existed) so we would rush down the street to ask the local corner store owner for an empty King Edward Cigar box. I still remember the clean box and the smell of tobacco deep within. This magical box would not only hold pencils but it had room for scissors, fresh crayons and other odds and ends as well. More importantly, the clean box represented a fresh start, a new year and yet another adventure. Later, as I got older, I got the same rush from a new pack of notebook paper. Untouched, unused and just sitting there anxiously waiting on someone to transfer their ideas from their heart and mind to their pen and on to the spotless paper below.
When I entered John Love that first year I had no idea that I would be in school in some form or fashion for the next 45 straight years! The smell of the cigar box was a powerful thing to me. It lead me through John Love, Kirby Smith Junior High, Andrew Jackson Senior High, Berry College, Georgia State University and finally a 30 year teaching and coaching career in the Douglas County School system here in Georgia.
Well, enough about me. This story is about grandson Jake. We have had a great time this summer fellowshipping and getting closer but I wanted so badly for him to have not only some positive social memories but I also wanted him to catch a “Stinkin’ Monster” before returning to school next week! So we came up with a plan. Jake was to spend the night with “Pap” on Wednesday, hang out on Thursday, fish all night Thursday night & be returned to his house by Friday noon. It was a fine time indeed! I gave Jake an almost unlimited carte blanche to Kroger for snacks and assured him that it was perfectly fine and healthy to combine Twizzlers, Chips Ahoy and Rocky Road for dinner.
Throughout that night and all day Thursday we watched the USA Olympic Team thrash their competition. As Jake watched Kobe & LeBron, my mind drifted back to another team made up of Larry Bird, Majic Johnson and one they called “The Mailman”. I knew in my heart (although Jake had his own opinion) that the original Dream Team was and will always be the greatest combination ever to grace the hardwood.
Finally it was approaching game time for me and Jake. We had loaded the truck and soon he and the Ultimate Carp Hound “Maximus Relaximus” were on the bank bonding and smelling the sweet smell of anticipation as if it came straight out of a King Edward Cigar box.
I just knew it would happen before sunrise! After all, hadn’t Grassers been caught here over 50 lbs and Commons in the 20’s?? It was just a matter of one Proper Pull Down. To aide in our quest we were joined by Jim “Hatman” Hatter and the ever amiable Tim “Cool Dad” Gill. Gentleman Jim was unable to stay all night but Cool Dad was in it for the long haul. We set up and as always, the waiting game began…..
Sometime later I remembered that Mc D’s was open 24/7. Knowing that Jake is a bottomless pit I invited Cool Dad to go with me to pick up some midnight snacks. As we drove from the lake I was partly hoping that a rod would go while we were gone & partly hoping that I would be there to witness it. But (change of direction) Jim reported that somewhere between the Biggie Fries and Double Quarter Pounders a rod went down & the alarms shrieked a welcome ring!!! What was the result? Was it a 40 pound Grasser? Could it be a 24 pound Mirror? I thought you’d never ask……
Upon our return Jake reported excitedly that he’d caught a fish!
So I knew at least he wouldn’t blank.
After Jim’s exodus, we sat and gazed at the stars. Bank talk at night is a different sort of talk. Cool Dad began to look at the stars and as he did he shared about different clusters and formations and how the sailors of old depended on these landmarks of the sky to find their way.
We talked about things and even “Cabbages and Kings” but soon my buddies settled down and left me alone with a time for reflection.
As the night wore on I became more of a realist. After being on the bank now for 10 hours or so without a Carp it happens to a fella. My anticipation was waning and fatigue began to set in on the Ol Captain.
We rebaited off and on throughout the night with hopes that something would stir by sunrise. Tim had pointed out the night before that the sun would rise in a specific area and he was right on the money!
As the eastern sky began to light up I reflected a bit about what this man’s friendship means to me.
With only an hour or so to go I knew there was still plenty of time for an early morning Proper Pull Down.
As Jake stirred and watched the sunrise I wondered what was going through the mind of this 15 year old boy. As he held a precious pup in his lap I wondered if he’d enjoyed the “Journey” or was he disappointed that at least on this trip, the monster just didn’t show.
I hope and pray that as he goes back to school next week that he will write positive things about this summer. I hope that he will dream about times in the future (Good Lord willing) that we can go again.
In the meantime I’ll be breaking out a fresh pack of notebook paper. I’ll have a fresh cigar box, some new crayons and be ready to share about the adventures of Cool Dad, the Ol Captain and the Ultimate Carp Hound!
Folks, what about you? What are YOU writing on your paper this year?? Life is too short to waste. Enjoy every day and Come see us when you can!!!
I have spent more time than usual this summer with my oldest grandson Jacob “Big Jake” LaFavor. He will be returning to school this year as a 10th grader which, unbeknownst to him, is usually a pivotal time in a young man’s life.
As I write this I find it very natural to reflect on my own years in school. I began my career in the late 50’s as a first grader at John Love Elementary School. Those of us living in the Phoenix Avenue area couldn’t afford fancy little pencil boxes (and to be truthful, I didn’t know they existed) so we would rush down the street to ask the local corner store owner for an empty King Edward Cigar box. I still remember the clean box and the smell of tobacco deep within. This magical box would not only hold pencils but it had room for scissors, fresh crayons and other odds and ends as well. More importantly, the clean box represented a fresh start, a new year and yet another adventure. Later, as I got older, I got the same rush from a new pack of notebook paper. Untouched, unused and just sitting there anxiously waiting on someone to transfer their ideas from their heart and mind to their pen and on to the spotless paper below.
When I entered John Love that first year I had no idea that I would be in school in some form or fashion for the next 45 straight years! The smell of the cigar box was a powerful thing to me. It lead me through John Love, Kirby Smith Junior High, Andrew Jackson Senior High, Berry College, Georgia State University and finally a 30 year teaching and coaching career in the Douglas County School system here in Georgia.
Well, enough about me. This story is about grandson Jake. We have had a great time this summer fellowshipping and getting closer but I wanted so badly for him to have not only some positive social memories but I also wanted him to catch a “Stinkin’ Monster” before returning to school next week! So we came up with a plan. Jake was to spend the night with “Pap” on Wednesday, hang out on Thursday, fish all night Thursday night & be returned to his house by Friday noon. It was a fine time indeed! I gave Jake an almost unlimited carte blanche to Kroger for snacks and assured him that it was perfectly fine and healthy to combine Twizzlers, Chips Ahoy and Rocky Road for dinner.
Throughout that night and all day Thursday we watched the USA Olympic Team thrash their competition. As Jake watched Kobe & LeBron, my mind drifted back to another team made up of Larry Bird, Majic Johnson and one they called “The Mailman”. I knew in my heart (although Jake had his own opinion) that the original Dream Team was and will always be the greatest combination ever to grace the hardwood.
Finally it was approaching game time for me and Jake. We had loaded the truck and soon he and the Ultimate Carp Hound “Maximus Relaximus” were on the bank bonding and smelling the sweet smell of anticipation as if it came straight out of a King Edward Cigar box.
I just knew it would happen before sunrise! After all, hadn’t Grassers been caught here over 50 lbs and Commons in the 20’s?? It was just a matter of one Proper Pull Down. To aide in our quest we were joined by Jim “Hatman” Hatter and the ever amiable Tim “Cool Dad” Gill. Gentleman Jim was unable to stay all night but Cool Dad was in it for the long haul. We set up and as always, the waiting game began…..
Sometime later I remembered that Mc D’s was open 24/7. Knowing that Jake is a bottomless pit I invited Cool Dad to go with me to pick up some midnight snacks. As we drove from the lake I was partly hoping that a rod would go while we were gone & partly hoping that I would be there to witness it. But (change of direction) Jim reported that somewhere between the Biggie Fries and Double Quarter Pounders a rod went down & the alarms shrieked a welcome ring!!! What was the result? Was it a 40 pound Grasser? Could it be a 24 pound Mirror? I thought you’d never ask……
Upon our return Jake reported excitedly that he’d caught a fish!
So I knew at least he wouldn’t blank.
After Jim’s exodus, we sat and gazed at the stars. Bank talk at night is a different sort of talk. Cool Dad began to look at the stars and as he did he shared about different clusters and formations and how the sailors of old depended on these landmarks of the sky to find their way.
We talked about things and even “Cabbages and Kings” but soon my buddies settled down and left me alone with a time for reflection.
As the night wore on I became more of a realist. After being on the bank now for 10 hours or so without a Carp it happens to a fella. My anticipation was waning and fatigue began to set in on the Ol Captain.
We rebaited off and on throughout the night with hopes that something would stir by sunrise. Tim had pointed out the night before that the sun would rise in a specific area and he was right on the money!
As the eastern sky began to light up I reflected a bit about what this man’s friendship means to me.
With only an hour or so to go I knew there was still plenty of time for an early morning Proper Pull Down.
As Jake stirred and watched the sunrise I wondered what was going through the mind of this 15 year old boy. As he held a precious pup in his lap I wondered if he’d enjoyed the “Journey” or was he disappointed that at least on this trip, the monster just didn’t show.
I hope and pray that as he goes back to school next week that he will write positive things about this summer. I hope that he will dream about times in the future (Good Lord willing) that we can go again.
In the meantime I’ll be breaking out a fresh pack of notebook paper. I’ll have a fresh cigar box, some new crayons and be ready to share about the adventures of Cool Dad, the Ol Captain and the Ultimate Carp Hound!
Folks, what about you? What are YOU writing on your paper this year?? Life is too short to waste. Enjoy every day and Come see us when you can!!!
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