A Parting Look at Patience

(Anyone who ever has tried backing a tandem-axle trailer for the first time after having backed nothing but single-axle trailers all their life can relate to the account that follows. I accidentally stumbled across it shortly after I had published the previous item on the same subject matter.)

As described by Cubby O'Brien, "I have seen some insane, almost mental--to the point of madness--patience in my grandfather and other anglers out there. Some of us fish the same spot for hours, knowing there is nothing but moss and tadpoles in the water, yet we persist.

"I have seen myself, as a father, willingly lose one XD crankbait after another just to teach my daughter how to fish them, with only joy in my heart. I also personally have spent hours deciphering the network of cables in the hull of my boat, just to install a single transducer, and was in a state of calm and peace that only an angler could understand.

"Yet, I observed a young angler totally lose his mind while attempting to back his new used boat into his driveway. I should have recorded what I saw because it really was funny to watch, but I felt so bad for him.

"He had spent about 20 minutes trying to get the dual-axle trailer to line up for the turn into his driveway. He was yelling at everyone but himself and, in my estimation, was about to hit his breaking point. The mailbox and a flower pot already had become casualties.

"I went over and asked if he needed some help, and the first look I got was that of someone about ready to jump off a bridge. He explained that he only had owned a single-axle trailer up to this point in time and never had backed a trailer like this dual-axle model.

"Throughout this explanation, he remained adamant about his manhood...but finally conceded defeat. Rather than do it for him, I asked him to follow me to a food market around the corner, whereupon I tossed out a few traffic cones. I also told him what my grandfather had told me many years earlier: 'Be patient, take your time, and who gives a [expletive deleted] if you have to do it twice?' He would go on to tell me, 'It's fishing, son, so relax and have fun, or find another hobby.'

"The fella seemed to understand and, after 'killing' a few cones, he had the knack of it. I left and later saw him washing the new used boat in his driveway. I couldn't help noticing it was parked perfectly.

"And so I must ask, 'Why are we so patient with a rod and reel in our hands but let little things cause us to lose our mind?' In my opinion, fishing makes me a better person at all levels.

"This incident just really made me stop and think about how, if we all practiced a bit more patience in life--like we do trying to catch a bedding bass--we would be in oh such a better place."

To which I only can add, "Amen, brother!"

The photo used here is only representative.