Saturday, February 18, 2012

Hands....

The olfactory is a highway to the deep memories of our existence. Cedar...that kind of sharp but clean scent will stir my soul. Close to the mouth. Slightly moist from use. Cuddle with care and expertise. First there was one, then two years later, now countless. Never shall they be discarded - the lips are pursed tight - no wide open - blow in a staccato patter - now long but soft and then, hard at the end - roll the tongue.


"Here they come! Keep your head down! Don't let them see your eyes". See my eyes, its 6:14am I can't see 30 feet! And sure enough, in they came. Wild but orchestrated in a splash down mode. But not right away. They worked the landing area, a little recon, which way is the wind blowing (not that they truly thought of that! heck that's instinct), set the formation and in we go. 


It's December, pick any year between 1968 and 1978 - this always happened. Four hours prior we awoke and dressed, not a sound just the smell of coffee which this young boy did not drink. I did get hot chocolate and well before McDonalds came up with it, Super Sandwiches from my Mom. The car now loaded with the boat securely attached - how does he grab that frozen steel without gloves and attach that?


The drive is an hour, black without a car insight. Today, those roads are highways littered with lights, signs and those things that strip nature but I can't see them -won't let them invade this Cedar Memory! I sleep a bit, not a word between us. We know what's coming. Work, exciting work with rewards. 


We arrive and LaDue Resevoir has a thin sheet of ice at 4:45am. Oh, did I say it was dark and the boat is a 14' aluminum V shaped John boat. We only have about 3/4 of a mile to go in the dark, frozen water. Again, he disconnects the boat and drops it in the water without gloves. I am freezing as its only about 20F. Connect the electric motor and set the battery. Good, the top rails of the boat are about 5" inches above the water at full load. Woosh, in we go......


"Rock it! Side to Side! It will break the ice". Okaaaaayyy (in my mind), multiple layers of clothes, hoodie, overcoat, hat, Gloves of course and hip boots - oh they are insulated adding to the weight. Water is say 38F, it will take about 3 seconds to fill the boots when I go over, about 10 seconds to the bottom. Where is my knife. Got to cut these off, then strip. How will I find him - I've never seen him in the water let alone a bathing suit. Can he swim? He's huge! (In my mind) "Rock it, Rock it."......


Out to the center of the lake, under the over pass, now stay close to shore. That's a safe strategy.


"Ok, stop a minute. Which way is the wind blowing. Kind of southwest. Let's set up a J hook pattern. They will land into that." Again, no gloves. Those hands must be made of iron. No motor now. I have to row because the prop will get tangled in the lines. Around and around we go - my hands - deep inside gloves are freezing. His, dripping wet from lake water appear to be warm. All set!


And we sit........, in early and wait 45 minutes to an hour. Don't move - no noise. Uh, hello - moving might keep me warm. Nope, he is holding the Steel of his Ted Williams 12 gauge shot gun without gloves. At work, the boys say the heat is in the tools........


In all those years duck hunting with my Dad I never knew why/how he could do that. It was amazing to see the drive and preparation he put into this sport. When you truly love something it transcends all, even pain. The pursuit of happiness is so strong to our character it can override physical phenomenon.


Cleaning the basement recently, I grabbed one of my Cedar duck calls and in an instant relived countless duck hunting mornings.  "There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide: that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion: that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till".


I till as I am a provider. My daily preparation for my family, my work and being an active trader leaves me tired and satisfied yet still moving towards that day when I can go without gloves.....


What will you build?


What will I build?


Circa 1940's South Pacific. Marines John T. Wamelink

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