Sometimes our kids make us so proud of them. It is not logical. We have little, if anything to do with our grown children’s successes, and yet, we find ourselves claiming their triumphs when they happen.
Chris, our son, now 24, soon to be 25, works as a commercial fisherman in San Francisco. This summer has been especially trying for him – the catch is slow, and the fleet has moved up the coast to Ft. Bragg, in northern California, where, as he put it in our recent text exchange:
C: One boat caught 60 today though
M: That’s promising
M: How many boats are up there trying to fish?
C:A lot
It’s the place to be
Some refer to it as “the killer whales better half.”
The promised land
Which some argue is an old california gold rush saying, meaning we are all f….ed.
Then there were three days of no cell reception. I have to say that this is the hardest part about being the mother/sister/father of a fisherman. They go “off the grid” for days sometimes, leaving their loved ones at the edge of a precipice of worry.
Warning: Do not under any circumstances watch “The Perfect Storm” if you are affiliated in any way with the fishing industry, especially if you are related to a fisherman. I know, George Clooney is in the film – so what. It will not make up for the endless sleepless nights you have when your child/brother goes silent in the middle of an ongoing text message.
Witness:
M: How’s it going today? (Wed. 6:02PM)
M: Or today? Must be out of range (Thurs. 9:33AM)
M: Hello? (Thurs. 7:01 PM)
M: Ok. Combination Fort Bragg and radio silence for three days =worried Mama. #just sayin’ (Fri. 8:40AM)
C: I M fine. Just been out of cell reception (Fri 9:51PM)
(Cut to Mother panting with relief on the couch at home)
The next texts were more promising:
C: We caught over 200!
M: That’s great! You must be tired
And there it is, your child with a big broad beautiful smile on his face holding the literal fruits of his labors. Sorry, but it just doesn’t get any better than that. Even George Clooney can’t top that.
lifeinthethe8tre 