Apr 19, 2013

     Eldon McKinnon at the age of seven, was the youngest of three boys.  Errol was nine and Sean who was twelve rounded out the siblings whose proud parents were Laura and Randy.  The family lived in a modest home along the outskirts of tiny Jasperville on the shores of Lake Quilling.  Eldon was named after his grandfather who passed away only a year before, after a sudden stroke.  Eldon had fond memories of his grandfather who always made time to spend with his grandsons.  Eldon always enjoyed going fishing with Eldon Sr. on those early mornings when the only sound one could hear was that from a pair of blue jays darting about in the sky.

     Randy and Laura struggled to make  ends meet, but somehow there was enough to go around.  Laura, due to a spinal condition was unable to work steady so she had a knitting business, which kept her off of her feet.  ” Laura I know you want to get a job, but at what cost to your health and quality of life if you cause more damage?” stated Randy.  ” I just want to pull my own weight and do my fair share,” said Laura.  ” Noble gesture, but one that could do you and us more harm than good,” sighed Randy.  Randy’s work was merely seasonal in nature.  The life of a construction worker offered little in the way of job security.  Randy was trying to do upgrading to obtain his certification as an electrician.  Twice a week at night school meant another few years of sacrifice for Randy to achieve this goal.  With this ticket, Randy could apply at the local power plant, which always seemed to be advertising for an electrician.

     The family seemed to live on hand me downs and Eldon being the youngest, always received the most used due to his position in the pecking order.  Eldon knew much beyond his years and understood why things were how they were, for good reason.  ” Dad,” Eldon would always say,” I know we don’t have a lot, but because of that, what we do have we have a greater appreciation for because there are always more less fortunate out there than us.”  Randy thought often how such a little tyke could make the most of a bad situation and always look on the bright side.  Eldon acted as an inspiration to his own father.

     Eldon was a resourceful little fellow and was a chip off the old block when it came to this.  Randy could not afford to buy Eldon that fancy Garcia Mitchell fishing rod, which always caught the gleam in Eldon’s eyes when he went to Jasperville and passed by the trading post store.  Instead of going without, Eldon fashioned together a rod od his own.  It was not fancy like the one in the store, but the makeshift creation did the trick.  He was quite the inventor and could make pieces of odds and ends function as well or better than store bought merchandise.

     It was an early morning excursion for Eldon with prior consent from his parents to be off on a fishing expedition.  With his trusty fishing rod, Eldon made off with provisions for the day to that old favourite spot of his and his grandfather’s.  It took him some forty minutes to traverse the distance to the watering hole at the end of the dilapidated dock where all seemed tranquil each time Eldon went there.  Eldon had been fishing some two hours when he saw this shadow near him out the corner of his eye.  It was an elderly man dressed in a plaid shirt that his grandfather made famous and the aroma of the pipe was unmistakable to Eldon.  “ Well young man” the grey haired gentleman would say, ” kind of hard to get much without your favourite reel, eh!”  Eldon said, ” I bagged this small trout, but it’s hardly worth keeping.”  The man called himself Nodel and Eldon found this to be quite the odd name.  Nodel really reminded Eldon of his grandfather, but how could this man know about his favourite reel?  Upon asking the distinguished fellow this, an answer came that he had always worked at the trading post store and had noticed Eldon on several occasions eyeing the Garcia Mitchell reel.  To Eldon, this was the only possible answer and after the explanation by Nodel, further questions were put to rest.  Nodel had brought a package wrapped in paper and had placed it within sight of Eldon.  ” Eldon, what would you say if I was to give you that special reel upon condition that the first fish you catch, I get to keep,” asked Nodel?  ” My parents always told me not to accept anything from strangers, but maybe this trade would be acceptable to them.  If it is not, I can return the reel to you at the store,” said Eldon.  “ That sounds like a deal and I’m always at the store if your parents want to contact me,” replied Nodel.  With this agreement made, the two fine fellows shook on it.  Eldon set about to make his first cast with the favourite bait of dragonfly, which his grandfather had taught him to use.  The first fish, a three pound trout, went to Nodel.  Nodel cleaned the fish with his favourite knife, which again was similar to the one Eldon’s grandfather liked to use.  The afternoon produced five more fish for Eldon, during which time Nodel had been whittling a piece of wood.  The time was nearing five o’clock and Eldon knew his parents were expecting him for supper.  ” I really have to get back home,” said Eldon.  Nodel agreed and walked with Eldon along the old dirt road running beside Lake Quilling.  The old man lit his pipe and when the aroma reached Eldon, it again flashed a memory.  This was with a reminiscence from a Christmas supper and grandfather Eldon was sitting younger Eldon on his knee singing carols with the rest of the family.

     Randy had set out to find his son as he was running a little late.  Eldon, upon approaching a curve in the road spotted his father in the distance and ran up to Randy to show him his new reel.  When Randy heard the story, he wanted to meet the old squire who had befriended his son.  Both Randy and Eldon were facing one way when both felt a touch on their shoulders and they seemed to observe a shadow, but one which faded with a short, bit invigorating gust of wind.  The wind blew dust into both of their eyes and for a moment they caught the aroma in their nostrils from a pipe.  ” That sure smells like the kind grandpa used to smoke on the back porch,” said Randy.  ” It’s the same kind my friend Nodel was smoking this afternoon,” replied Eldon.  With no sign of Nodel, the two returned home for supper.  Eldon felt something pinching him in his coat pocket and when he looked to see what it was, he found a carving of a boy fishing at the end of a dock.  It was just like the one that was on the mantle in the living room given to him by his grandfather two years before.  When Eldon showed the carving to Randy, Randy said ” so you took to carving just like grandfather eh!”  Eldon just nodded his head.  In a sign meant only for one, Eldon went out to the porch and when he again detected the aroma of sweet tobacco, Eldon said to the breeze, ” thank you grandfather for the memories and the reel.”