1 00:00:17,679 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: The Breakout by Scott Hendricks. I met Chief in my 2 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,039 tenth year, when I finally mustered the courage to me 3 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:30,239 interrupt to his barn on a cool June afternoon, interrupting 4 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,679 him as he split a calm of bamboo. You need something, 5 00:00:35,119 --> 00:00:39,759 he asked, not sounding friendly. What are you doing? I said, 6 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:45,920 genuinely interested. Who are you? He said, sounding annoyed, Henry Mason, 7 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,240 I answered, walking into his barn, uninvited and mesmerized by 8 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:55,240 the museum inside. You like to fish, he asked, seeming 9 00:00:55,280 --> 00:01:01,560 to accept the intrusion into his rustic sanctuary. In the 10 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,239 cracking from the splitting bamboo, stop and Chief stood with 11 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:10,519 an insulted frown. Now you've never been fishing ever, Chief asked, 12 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,760 unbelieving that any young boy could reach the tender age 13 00:01:13,799 --> 00:01:17,519 of ten never catch a fish. I ain't, never had 14 00:01:17,519 --> 00:01:21,000 nobody take me. You be back here early in the 15 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:24,200 morning before the sun rises, and wool fish you hear? 16 00:01:25,359 --> 00:01:29,200 My eyes got big, and I agreed. The next morning, 17 00:01:29,359 --> 00:01:31,680 I was waiting in the dark before the two large 18 00:01:31,719 --> 00:01:35,799 barn doors. He smiled slightly as he found me sitting 19 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:40,280 Indian style, legs crossed, waiting for him. How long you 20 00:01:40,359 --> 00:01:44,560 been here boy, about thirty minutes, I said, as I 21 00:01:44,599 --> 00:01:48,760 watched the smile broaden across Chief's face, A thin stream 22 00:01:48,799 --> 00:01:53,120 of brown juice thrust from his lips. Under his direction, 23 00:01:53,359 --> 00:01:56,879 we lowered one of the canoes using his elaborate pulley system, 24 00:01:57,319 --> 00:01:59,640 and each took an end and walked it down to 25 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,640 the edge to the lake. He returned to the barn 26 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,840 and retrieved a fly rod from the wall, and soon 27 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,400 we both stood along the edge of the lake, and 28 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,560 for an hour. Chief instructed me on the proper way 29 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,840 to hold and cast a fly rod. He kept time 30 00:02:16,039 --> 00:02:19,840 rhythmically clapping his hands, and soon my casts were in 31 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,360 time with his clapping. He was able to rein in 32 00:02:23,439 --> 00:02:25,960 my knee to use my entire arm as if I 33 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:29,599 were throwing a baseball, and focus that energy into the 34 00:02:29,599 --> 00:02:33,240 flick of my wrist. I practiced with a fly rod 35 00:02:33,319 --> 00:02:36,199 daily until I could place a popping bug into a 36 00:02:36,199 --> 00:02:41,039 mason jar lid. Satisfied that I was ready, we climbed 37 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,120 into the canoe and Chief sculled the paddle smoothly, moving 38 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:49,120 the canoe into the center of the lake. We quietly 39 00:02:49,159 --> 00:02:53,879 anchored both ends and situated ourselves perpendicular to a branch 40 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,159 that grew from the water in a ragged, arthritic form. 41 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:02,199 You smell that, Chief asked, as he inhaled long and deeply, 42 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,360 but quietly through his nose. I closed my eyes and 43 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,240 mimicked him, unsure what I was supposed to be smelling. 44 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,319 I smelled stink, I said, as I opened my eyes. 45 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:19,759 Must end riding stink. Well, that's it. What's it? You smell? 46 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,520 Bedding bluegill? Chief said, his eyes coming alive and jumping around, 47 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,080 surveying the oily water before him. See Chief said, as 48 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:31,719 he pointed with the tip of his fly rod, See 49 00:03:31,759 --> 00:03:35,800 them yonder, breaking the surface and rolling. And I did 50 00:03:35,879 --> 00:03:39,120 see the rolling forms churned the water as if it 51 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:43,840 were boiling in a pot. Suddenly Chief lost fifty years, 52 00:03:43,879 --> 00:03:47,800 and he and I were the same age. Anticipation grew 53 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,280 as he hastily tied on a yellow and orange popping bug, 54 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,680 white rubbery legs protruding from its sides, black dots covering 55 00:03:55,719 --> 00:04:00,319 the whole of the bug. As instructed, I held fly 56 00:04:00,479 --> 00:04:03,960 rod in my hand and watch Chief rhythmically extend the 57 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,159 line forward and backward, lightly, placing the bug in the 58 00:04:07,159 --> 00:04:11,039 middle of the boiling water in front of us. As 59 00:04:11,039 --> 00:04:13,639 soon as it hit the water, the soft rolls turned 60 00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:17,120 into a small explosion, and I heard what would become 61 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:21,839 the familiar plot. The fight was on chiefs rod bent 62 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:25,600 and the tip following the direction of a spastic escape. 63 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,399 And when you hook them, you want to be sure 64 00:04:28,439 --> 00:04:30,839 to try and ease them away from the bed so 65 00:04:30,879 --> 00:04:34,279 that they don't disturb the other fish, he said, as 66 00:04:34,319 --> 00:04:36,959 he lifted the rod above his head, pulling the line 67 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:40,439 toward his lap. He brought the fish to the side 68 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,600 of the canoe and into his hand, raising it flat 69 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:47,839 as if he were offering me something to eat. The 70 00:04:47,879 --> 00:04:52,240 bluegill glistened in the morning sun. Flashes of purples and 71 00:04:52,439 --> 00:04:56,399 rusts and greens shone on the fish as it flexed 72 00:04:56,439 --> 00:05:00,639 and flopped back into the murky black water. Your turn, 73 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:04,480 Remember what I told you, Chief said, as he quietly 74 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:09,240 kept rhythm with his hands. My heart was beating wildly 75 00:05:09,319 --> 00:05:12,560 as I began to work the rod. I soon landed 76 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,360 my bug close to the same spot where Chief hooked 77 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,040 his fish, and the water erupted again. Excitedly, I jerked 78 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,160 my line, peeling the bug behind me clear into the 79 00:05:23,199 --> 00:05:27,720 next zip code. Now you have to hesitate one Mississippi 80 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:34,040 lifts smoothly. Don't jerk it, Chief counted patiently. I immediately put 81 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,720 the bug back into action, and as soon as it 82 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,480 hit the water, there was a slight break on the surface, 83 00:05:39,639 --> 00:05:45,240 followed by a kerplot one Mississippi, and the fish was on. 84 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:50,800 A feeling of euphoria enveloped my entire being, and adrenaline 85 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,279 pushed through my body. After several seconds, the bluegill was 86 00:05:55,319 --> 00:05:59,160 pulled into the canoe, and now in my hand. I 87 00:05:59,199 --> 00:06:02,759 surveyed it like a rare treasure, marveling at the coloring. 88 00:06:03,639 --> 00:06:05,839 It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. 89 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,959 I took it off the hook and pulled in several more, 90 00:06:10,199 --> 00:06:12,560 just like it before. I noticed that Chief was no 91 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,800 longer fishing, but just watching and guiding and patiently teaching me. 92 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:19,800 And by the end of the morning, I was a 93 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:25,680 brim fisherman. I was hooked Chief and I fished every 94 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,439 chance we got For several years. After that, I went 95 00:06:29,439 --> 00:06:32,360 away to college and finally came home for spring break 96 00:06:32,439 --> 00:06:35,759 during my second year. Beforegoing a trip to one of 97 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:39,519 Florida's beaches, all I had on my mind was spending 98 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,920 the entire week with Chief. My first stop was the barn, 99 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:48,680 which was closed up tight and cobwebs extended in spots 100 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:52,600 on the doors, creating a bridge between them. I went 101 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,120 up to Chief's house and tried his back door. It 102 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:00,120 was locked and there were no lights on inside. As 103 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,480 I walked to the front of the house, Chief's neighbor, 104 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:07,480 Missus Livingston, was in his yard cutting tulips. He's in 105 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:11,519 the nursing home, she said, almost proud that he was, 106 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:16,000 and she wasn't. She never looked up and kept cutting twulips, 107 00:07:16,319 --> 00:07:20,720 unfazed that she was trespassing and caught doing so well, 108 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:25,120 Which one I asked, hollering so she could hear the 109 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:29,319 one connected to the hospital. She said, a decibel higher 110 00:07:29,319 --> 00:07:32,279 than my own voice, mocking me as if she could 111 00:07:32,319 --> 00:07:34,360 hear just fine, and there was no need for me 112 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:39,040 to speak so loudly. Thank you, I said even louder. 113 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:45,879 You're welcome, she screamed, winning the vocal battle. I stood 114 00:07:45,879 --> 00:07:49,439 impatiently at the nurse's station, waiting for his room number 115 00:07:49,759 --> 00:07:53,399 when I spotted him. He was standing before a large 116 00:07:53,399 --> 00:07:57,600 picture window, cane in hand, staring over a small pond. 117 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:02,240 You think there's any fish in there? I asked, He 118 00:08:02,319 --> 00:08:06,839 slowly turned his whole body to see me. Boy, he said. 119 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,120 His eyes danced as he brought a shaking hand to 120 00:08:10,199 --> 00:08:13,639 my cheek, cupping it before slowly moving in to hug me. 121 00:08:14,199 --> 00:08:17,600 How did you know I was here, he asked, your 122 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,600 neighbor I went by your house that old nag. Was 123 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:26,120 she stealing my tulips? He asked, his voice sounding stronger, 124 00:08:26,199 --> 00:08:31,000 almost defiant. We visited for an hour. I told him 125 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,360 about my trip to Montana. He wanted to know every cast, 126 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:38,320 every change of fly, and every toug on the line. 127 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:40,879 He was anxious to know what it felt like to 128 00:08:40,919 --> 00:08:44,399 catch a wild rainbow trout. He asked if I had 129 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,159 fished dry flies only not lie, and I told him 130 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:51,320 I had. I showed him photos of me holding a 131 00:08:51,399 --> 00:08:53,679 trout in one hand and a fly rod that he 132 00:08:53,759 --> 00:08:56,840 and I built in the other. I wish now I 133 00:08:56,879 --> 00:09:00,440 had taken him so we could share those memories. I 134 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,919 wish I could have been with you, he said, with 135 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,759 a mixture of pride and sadness. I missfishing with you. Boy. 136 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:11,519 My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. He 137 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:15,120 had me follow him to his room. We walked slowly. 138 00:09:15,919 --> 00:09:18,679 He sat in his recliner and instructed me to pull 139 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:21,759 a box from under his bed, and as he prompted 140 00:09:21,759 --> 00:09:24,159 me to open it, I saw a frame photo of 141 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,360 Chief and me. We stood beside each other, each holding 142 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:32,200 the end of a stringer full of bluegill and chinkapins. 143 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:36,840 I hand made rough hewn frame. Surrounded the photo. Carved 144 00:09:36,879 --> 00:09:41,639 into the bottom were two words for Henry. Often wondered 145 00:09:41,639 --> 00:09:44,320 if he remembered my real name because he only called 146 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,120 me boy, but he did know. I imagine he called 147 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,360 me boy because he never had one of his own. 148 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:55,399 I was his boy, Chief. I asked, what is the 149 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:57,799 one thing you want to do before you become one 150 00:09:57,879 --> 00:10:02,519 day older? You mean before I die, he said, as 151 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,000 a sly smile tilted one corner of his mouth stained 152 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,360 with red man tobacco juice. He quickly answered, saving me 153 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:14,480 from having to reply, go fishing with you, boy, his 154 00:10:14,639 --> 00:10:19,879 voice breaking, we sat in silence, both unable to speak. 155 00:10:20,320 --> 00:10:23,320 His crooked finger rubbed his top lip was trying to 156 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,200 stop the tears. I stood and immediately went to the 157 00:10:27,279 --> 00:10:30,360 nurses station. I told the nurse I wanted to take 158 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,519 Chief outside for some sun. She soon arrived with a 159 00:10:34,519 --> 00:10:37,919 wheelchair and walked us to the door She punched in 160 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,559 the code and opened the front doors into the warm 161 00:10:40,639 --> 00:10:45,879 spring day. You smell that, Chief asked, slightly, turning toward 162 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:51,000 the small pond. Those bastards are bedding up. After sitting 163 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,320 a short while, I told Chief to stay put. Where 164 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,759 are you going? He asked. I bent down and whispered 165 00:10:57,799 --> 00:11:00,919 in his ear. Get ready to leave this When I 166 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,840 pull up, We're going fishing. A smile flooded his face 167 00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:07,559 as he set the brake on the wheelchair and folded 168 00:11:07,639 --> 00:11:11,639 up the foot rest, preparing for his escape. I pulled 169 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,120 the car in front of him and slung open the door, 170 00:11:14,519 --> 00:11:17,039 and with the help of his cane, Chief stood and 171 00:11:17,080 --> 00:11:21,039 fell into my car's front seat. Let's go, he screamed. 172 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:25,360 His twelve year old Bobby mac Spencer rode, shotgun pounding 173 00:11:25,399 --> 00:11:29,240 on my dash. From sheer excitement, the joy of breaking 174 00:11:29,279 --> 00:11:32,080 out of prison and the prospect of holding a fly 175 00:11:32,279 --> 00:11:36,919 rod again had the old man giddy. Is anyone following us? 176 00:11:37,159 --> 00:11:41,080 I asked, as adrenaline pushed through me. I don't see anybody, 177 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:44,519 he said, without looking, unable to twist his body to 178 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:48,879 look behind us. We arrived at his house and immediately 179 00:11:49,039 --> 00:11:52,519 drove through the backyard to his barn and bouncing across 180 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:57,759 the rolls of his neglected and overgrown garden. There she is, 181 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:02,519 he said, proudly, smiling. Before I could fully stop the car, 182 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:04,679 Chief opened the door as if he thought he could 183 00:12:04,759 --> 00:12:07,879 jump out. The door swung open with a four so 184 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:11,440 strong it swung back toward Chief, and he stopped its 185 00:12:11,519 --> 00:12:16,000 momentum with the tip of his cane, swinging his legs out. Simultaneously. 186 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,639 I met him and helped him stand, and we both 187 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:24,720 felt above the barn door, eventually finding the key. Except 188 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:29,000 for dust and cobwebs, everything was as he left it. 189 00:12:29,759 --> 00:12:33,360 No family was available to pilfer. No one else knew 190 00:12:33,399 --> 00:12:37,320 what treasures lay hidden within the rustic walls. There were 191 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,799 two fly rods on the rack that once held a 192 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,399 dozen at a time. I left these two here because 193 00:12:43,399 --> 00:12:46,679 I hoped we'd go fishing together one more day, he said. 194 00:12:48,159 --> 00:12:50,559 I moved the canoe to the lake's edge and set 195 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:54,679 Chief up in the back. After replacing his leader, I 196 00:12:54,759 --> 00:12:57,399 rigged up his favorite orange and yellow popping bug and 197 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:01,159 placed the rod in his weak, shaking hand. I watched 198 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:05,320 as his grip tightened on the supple court. I sculled 199 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,639 the canoe into the center of the lake. We quietly 200 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:13,799 anchored both ends, situating ourselves horizontally to the same ragged, 201 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,360 arthritic branch that grew from the water. I watched as 202 00:13:18,399 --> 00:13:21,639 he moved a shaking thumb to his mouth, sticking his 203 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,240 tongue out and placing moisture on the end of it. 204 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,080 He robed the grime off the bamboo rod, cleaning his 205 00:13:28,240 --> 00:13:34,720 handwritten label Chiefs Rods, Bluegills. Special pride shone across his 206 00:13:34,799 --> 00:13:38,480 face as he read it, and this familiar crooked smile returned. 207 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,559 You smell that, he asked again, as he cast his 208 00:13:42,639 --> 00:13:46,960 line before him. The bug was quickly and softly sucked 209 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:50,639 into the black depths, the rooster tail of water trail 210 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:54,240 from his line as he raised his rod. The rod 211 00:13:54,279 --> 00:14:03,200 immediately bent and the fight was on once again. Okay, 212 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,840 let me tell you a little bit about this story. 213 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,320 The author, Scott Hendricks, is the author of three. He 214 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,799 has three novels out at the moment. One is called 215 00:14:13,799 --> 00:14:17,480 The Garden Spot, the other is called The Resting Spot, 216 00:14:17,879 --> 00:14:21,039 and his latest novel is called Justine, which I'm reading 217 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:25,360 right now and it's excellent. It's really good book. This story, 218 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:30,519 the breakout was entered in the Saturday Evening Post Great 219 00:14:30,519 --> 00:14:34,480 American Fiction Contest, and he one runner up in the 220 00:14:34,559 --> 00:14:39,200 twenty twenty five Great American Fiction Contest with this short story. 221 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,600 I've had the pleasure of talking to Scott over the phone. 222 00:14:42,639 --> 00:14:46,399 He's a super nice guy. I actually bought these books 223 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:50,240 directly from him, with his autograph on them. I really 224 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:53,960 appreciate Scott. He's a good writer. He's got a great imagination. 225 00:14:54,519 --> 00:14:57,720 He's a Southern writer. He's from Mississippi. I'm going to 226 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:02,360 put his Amazon and the description right there at the top, 227 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:06,519 and if you guys are interested in reading some good books, 228 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,399 click on that link and take a look at The 229 00:15:09,399 --> 00:15:13,639 Garden Spot, The Resting Spot, and Just Dean both excellent. 230 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,000 All three excellent novels. Scott, thank you for allowing me 231 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,360 to read your short story. I loved it. It brought 232 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,480 back so many memories with me and some of the 233 00:15:22,519 --> 00:15:25,679 older guys I fished with, and it just hit home 234 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:27,759 for me and it was like I was there with 235 00:15:28,000 --> 00:15:30,639 Chief the whole time. It is a great story and 236 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:32,919 I know why you got runner up, probably should have 237 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,360 won it. Thank you, Scott for your permission to read 238 00:15:36,399 --> 00:15:39,480 this story. Okay, that's gonna wind this podcast up a 239 00:15:39,519 --> 00:15:43,399 non monster podcast. I'd like to do these every once 240 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:45,840 in a while because these stories are just really good. 241 00:15:46,159 --> 00:15:47,840 So I hope you all enjoyed it, and we'll see 242 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:49,039 you on the next podcast.