At Home On The Water
Jason stood on his boat, the sea wind cooling off what had been an extremely hot day. As he took a long drag from his cigarette, the smoke slowly floated into the blue sky. He wore a colorful flower shirt with brown shorts and loafers to match, they were light and kept Jason cool, plus, it was his wife’s favorite. His large ship slowly pushed past the waves of the deep blue sea, his rods stood tall in the back of his ship, their hooks dragging in the water waiting for something to catch.
Jason flicked his cigarette into the water before walking over to the wheel on the second floor, smiling, he looked out towards the never ending expanse of blue. His shoulder-length black hair flowing in the wind. Suddenly, he heard one of his lines being pulled fast, Jason turned before almost leaping down his stairs and grabbing the red pole, starting to turn the rod.
“Damn! This fish is strong!” Jason exclaimed.
As he kept turning the rod, he kept wondering what it was and when it jumped out of the water he knew exactly why.
It was a swordfish, the biggest Jason had ever seen. When it leapt out of the water it seemed to stay in the air forever before slamming back down, the force just from that almost sent Jason off of the boat.
“Jesus! I’m gonna have to cut the line!” Jason quickly grabbed his knife before promptly cutting the line in one swift motion. The giant swordfish swam away so quick that Jason lost sight of him in the cerulean sea.
He sighed before laughing a little, “Ah well, I’ve enough for today. Might as well head back.” As Jason began to walk back to the cabin he stopped and glanced back towards the never-ending expanse of ocean. “Maybe someday.”
As Jason pulled into the dock, he saw an old man reading a newspaper, slouched over with a cigar slowly burning away. Jason pulled up right next to him before jumping off and tying the boat to the wooden dock.
He glanced at the old man, “Johnson, you’re gonna hurt your back if you keep sitting like that.”
“Is that sarcastic? It better be, because you know I ain’t care.” Johnson’s voice was rough and hoarse, just like his hands after years and years of fishing.
“Also, smoking will kill you!” Jason stood and smiled at his old friend.
“Just shut up!” Johnson waved him off as Jason walked past him and gave him a tough pat on the shoulder.
Jason slung his bag over his shoulder while his six rods stuck out from a bag he was holding with his left hand, eventually he made it up to the street. He walked over to a booth where a younger man was reading a White Guardian comic book.
“Hey, can you tell Adam that there is enough fish on ice in my ship to get about a thousand bucks? Oh, and also tell him if that nine hundred isn’t in my hands by Sunday, I’ll be pretty angry with him.”
The man pushed back his beach blonde hair. “Yeah dude, no worries.”
Jason sighed before walking to the parking lot, where his brand new blue truck sat shining. He placed his bags in the back before getting in.
The town of Butler Beach was small, not even reaching five thousand people. However the fishing in this area was extensive and it was what most people did here.
As James drove past the wooden building next to the beach, he was listening to the radio.
“Anyways, taking a break from the rocking sounds of the ’70s, there is a threatening Category Two hanging out in the Atlantic, too far from the mainland to make a difference on land but hey, something to be worried about when you fishermen are out there. Most of the spaghetti strands are picturing it to go upwards towards the higher east coast but about two are suggesting a direct impact so, prepare guys.”
Jason chuckled, “That thing isn’t gonna hit us. No way.”
