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<v Speaker 1>The Breakout by Scott Hendricks. I met Chief in my

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<v Speaker 1>tenth year, when I finally mustered the courage to me

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<v Speaker 1>interrupt to his barn on a cool June afternoon, interrupting

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<v Speaker 1>him as he split a calm of bamboo. You need something,

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<v Speaker 1>he asked, not sounding friendly. What are you doing? I said,

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<v Speaker 1>genuinely interested. Who are you? He said, sounding annoyed, Henry Mason,

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<v Speaker 1>I answered, walking into his barn, uninvited and mesmerized by

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<v Speaker 1>the museum inside. You like to fish, he asked, seeming

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<v Speaker 1>to accept the intrusion into his rustic sanctuary. In the

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<v Speaker 1>cracking from the splitting bamboo, stop and Chief stood with

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<v Speaker 1>an insulted frown. Now you've never been fishing ever, Chief asked,

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<v Speaker 1>unbelieving that any young boy could reach the tender age

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<v Speaker 1>of ten never catch a fish. I ain't, never had

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<v Speaker 1>nobody take me. You be back here early in the

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<v Speaker 1>morning before the sun rises, and wool fish you hear?

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<v Speaker 1>My eyes got big, and I agreed. The next morning,

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<v Speaker 1>I was waiting in the dark before the two large

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<v Speaker 1>barn doors. He smiled slightly as he found me sitting

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<v Speaker 1>Indian style, legs crossed, waiting for him. How long you

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<v Speaker 1>been here boy, about thirty minutes, I said, as I

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<v Speaker 1>watched the smile broaden across Chief's face, A thin stream

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<v Speaker 1>of brown juice thrust from his lips. Under his direction,

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<v Speaker 1>we lowered one of the canoes using his elaborate pulley system,

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<v Speaker 1>and each took an end and walked it down to

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<v Speaker 1>the edge to the lake. He returned to the barn

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<v Speaker 1>and retrieved a fly rod from the wall, and soon

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<v Speaker 1>we both stood along the edge of the lake, and

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<v Speaker 1>for an hour. Chief instructed me on the proper way

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<v Speaker 1>to hold and cast a fly rod. He kept time

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<v Speaker 1>rhythmically clapping his hands, and soon my casts were in

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<v Speaker 1>time with his clapping. He was able to rein in

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<v Speaker 1>my knee to use my entire arm as if I

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<v Speaker 1>were throwing a baseball, and focus that energy into the

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<v Speaker 1>flick of my wrist. I practiced with a fly rod

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<v Speaker 1>daily until I could place a popping bug into a

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<v Speaker 1>mason jar lid. Satisfied that I was ready, we climbed

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<v Speaker 1>into the canoe and Chief sculled the paddle smoothly, moving

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<v Speaker 1>the canoe into the center of the lake. We quietly

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<v Speaker 1>anchored both ends and situated ourselves perpendicular to a branch

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<v Speaker 1>that grew from the water in a ragged, arthritic form.

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<v Speaker 1>You smell that, Chief asked, as he inhaled long and deeply,

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<v Speaker 1>but quietly through his nose. I closed my eyes and

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<v Speaker 1>mimicked him, unsure what I was supposed to be smelling.

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<v Speaker 1>I smelled stink, I said, as I opened my eyes.

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<v Speaker 1>Must end riding stink. Well, that's it. What's it? You smell?

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<v Speaker 1>Bedding bluegill? Chief said, his eyes coming alive and jumping around,

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<v Speaker 1>surveying the oily water before him. See Chief said, as

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<v Speaker 1>he pointed with the tip of his fly rod, See

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<v Speaker 1>them yonder, breaking the surface and rolling. And I did

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<v Speaker 1>see the rolling forms churned the water as if it

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<v Speaker 1>were boiling in a pot. Suddenly Chief lost fifty years,

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<v Speaker 1>and he and I were the same age. Anticipation grew

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<v Speaker 1>as he hastily tied on a yellow and orange popping bug,

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<v Speaker 1>white rubbery legs protruding from its sides, black dots covering

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<v Speaker 1>the whole of the bug. As instructed, I held fly

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<v Speaker 1>rod in my hand and watch Chief rhythmically extend the

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<v Speaker 1>line forward and backward, lightly, placing the bug in the

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<v Speaker 1>middle of the boiling water in front of us. As

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<v Speaker 1>soon as it hit the water, the soft rolls turned

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<v Speaker 1>into a small explosion, and I heard what would become

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<v Speaker 1>the familiar plot. The fight was on chiefs rod bent

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<v Speaker 1>and the tip following the direction of a spastic escape.

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<v Speaker 1>And when you hook them, you want to be sure

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<v Speaker 1>to try and ease them away from the bed so

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<v Speaker 1>that they don't disturb the other fish, he said, as

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<v Speaker 1>he lifted the rod above his head, pulling the line

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<v Speaker 1>toward his lap. He brought the fish to the side

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<v Speaker 1>of the canoe and into his hand, raising it flat

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<v Speaker 1>as if he were offering me something to eat. The

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<v Speaker 1>bluegill glistened in the morning sun. Flashes of purples and

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<v Speaker 1>rusts and greens shone on the fish as it flexed

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<v Speaker 1>and flopped back into the murky black water. Your turn,

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<v Speaker 1>Remember what I told you, Chief said, as he quietly

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<v Speaker 1>kept rhythm with his hands. My heart was beating wildly

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<v Speaker 1>as I began to work the rod. I soon landed

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<v Speaker 1>my bug close to the same spot where Chief hooked

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<v Speaker 1>his fish, and the water erupted again. Excitedly, I jerked

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<v Speaker 1>my line, peeling the bug behind me clear into the

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<v Speaker 1>next zip code. Now you have to hesitate one Mississippi

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<v Speaker 1>lifts smoothly. Don't jerk it, Chief counted patiently. I immediately put

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<v Speaker 1>the bug back into action, and as soon as it

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<v Speaker 1>hit the water, there was a slight break on the surface,

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<v Speaker 1>followed by a kerplot one Mississippi, and the fish was on.

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<v Speaker 1>A feeling of euphoria enveloped my entire being, and adrenaline

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<v Speaker 1>pushed through my body. After several seconds, the bluegill was

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<v Speaker 1>pulled into the canoe, and now in my hand. I

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<v Speaker 1>surveyed it like a rare treasure, marveling at the coloring.

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<v Speaker 1>It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

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<v Speaker 1>I took it off the hook and pulled in several more,

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<v Speaker 1>just like it before. I noticed that Chief was no

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<v Speaker 1>longer fishing, but just watching and guiding and patiently teaching me.

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<v Speaker 1>And by the end of the morning, I was a

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<v Speaker 1>brim fisherman. I was hooked Chief and I fished every

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<v Speaker 1>chance we got For several years. After that, I went

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<v Speaker 1>away to college and finally came home for spring break

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<v Speaker 1>during my second year. Beforegoing a trip to one of

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<v Speaker 1>Florida's beaches, all I had on my mind was spending

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<v Speaker 1>the entire week with Chief. My first stop was the barn,

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<v Speaker 1>which was closed up tight and cobwebs extended in spots

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<v Speaker 1>on the doors, creating a bridge between them. I went

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<v Speaker 1>up to Chief's house and tried his back door. It

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<v Speaker 1>was locked and there were no lights on inside. As

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<v Speaker 1>I walked to the front of the house, Chief's neighbor,

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<v Speaker 1>Missus Livingston, was in his yard cutting tulips. He's in

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<v Speaker 1>the nursing home, she said, almost proud that he was,

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<v Speaker 1>and she wasn't. She never looked up and kept cutting twulips,

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<v Speaker 1>unfazed that she was trespassing and caught doing so well,

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<v Speaker 1>Which one I asked, hollering so she could hear the

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<v Speaker 1>one connected to the hospital. She said, a decibel higher

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<v Speaker 1>than my own voice, mocking me as if she could

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<v Speaker 1>hear just fine, and there was no need for me

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<v Speaker 1>to speak so loudly. Thank you, I said even louder.

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<v Speaker 1>You're welcome, she screamed, winning the vocal battle. I stood

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<v Speaker 1>impatiently at the nurse's station, waiting for his room number

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<v Speaker 1>when I spotted him. He was standing before a large

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<v Speaker 1>picture window, cane in hand, staring over a small pond.

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<v Speaker 1>You think there's any fish in there? I asked, He

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<v Speaker 1>slowly turned his whole body to see me. Boy, he said.

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<v Speaker 1>His eyes danced as he brought a shaking hand to

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<v Speaker 1>my cheek, cupping it before slowly moving in to hug me.

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<v Speaker 1>How did you know I was here, he asked, your

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<v Speaker 1>neighbor I went by your house that old nag. Was

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<v Speaker 1>she stealing my tulips? He asked, his voice sounding stronger,

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<v Speaker 1>almost defiant. We visited for an hour. I told him

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<v Speaker 1>about my trip to Montana. He wanted to know every cast,

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<v Speaker 1>every change of fly, and every toug on the line.

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<v Speaker 1>He was anxious to know what it felt like to

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<v Speaker 1>catch a wild rainbow trout. He asked if I had

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<v Speaker 1>fished dry flies only not lie, and I told him

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<v Speaker 1>I had. I showed him photos of me holding a

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<v Speaker 1>trout in one hand and a fly rod that he

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<v Speaker 1>and I built in the other. I wish now I

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<v Speaker 1>had taken him so we could share those memories. I

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<v Speaker 1>wish I could have been with you, he said, with

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<v Speaker 1>a mixture of pride and sadness. I missfishing with you. Boy.

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<v Speaker 1>My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. He

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<v Speaker 1>had me follow him to his room. We walked slowly.

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<v Speaker 1>He sat in his recliner and instructed me to pull

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<v Speaker 1>a box from under his bed, and as he prompted

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<v Speaker 1>me to open it, I saw a frame photo of

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<v Speaker 1>Chief and me. We stood beside each other, each holding

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<v Speaker 1>the end of a stringer full of bluegill and chinkapins.

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<v Speaker 1>I hand made rough hewn frame. Surrounded the photo. Carved

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<v Speaker 1>into the bottom were two words for Henry. Often wondered

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<v Speaker 1>if he remembered my real name because he only called

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<v Speaker 1>me boy, but he did know. I imagine he called

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<v Speaker 1>me boy because he never had one of his own.

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<v Speaker 1>I was his boy, Chief. I asked, what is the

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<v Speaker 1>one thing you want to do before you become one

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<v Speaker 1>day older? You mean before I die, he said, as

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<v Speaker 1>a sly smile tilted one corner of his mouth stained

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<v Speaker 1>with red man tobacco juice. He quickly answered, saving me

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<v Speaker 1>from having to reply, go fishing with you, boy, his

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<v Speaker 1>voice breaking, we sat in silence, both unable to speak.

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<v Speaker 1>His crooked finger rubbed his top lip was trying to

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<v Speaker 1>stop the tears. I stood and immediately went to the

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<v Speaker 1>nurses station. I told the nurse I wanted to take

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<v Speaker 1>Chief outside for some sun. She soon arrived with a

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<v Speaker 1>wheelchair and walked us to the door She punched in

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<v Speaker 1>the code and opened the front doors into the warm

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<v Speaker 1>spring day. You smell that, Chief asked, slightly, turning toward

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<v Speaker 1>the small pond. Those bastards are bedding up. After sitting

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<v Speaker 1>a short while, I told Chief to stay put. Where

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<v Speaker 1>are you going? He asked. I bent down and whispered

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<v Speaker 1>in his ear. Get ready to leave this When I

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<v Speaker 1>pull up, We're going fishing. A smile flooded his face

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<v Speaker 1>as he set the brake on the wheelchair and folded

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<v Speaker 1>up the foot rest, preparing for his escape. I pulled

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<v Speaker 1>the car in front of him and slung open the door,

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<v Speaker 1>and with the help of his cane, Chief stood and

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<v Speaker 1>fell into my car's front seat. Let's go, he screamed.

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<v Speaker 1>His twelve year old Bobby mac Spencer rode, shotgun pounding

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<v Speaker 1>on my dash. From sheer excitement, the joy of breaking

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<v Speaker 1>out of prison and the prospect of holding a fly

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<v Speaker 1>rod again had the old man giddy. Is anyone following us?

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<v Speaker 1>I asked, as adrenaline pushed through me. I don't see anybody,

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<v Speaker 1>he said, without looking, unable to twist his body to

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<v Speaker 1>look behind us. We arrived at his house and immediately

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<v Speaker 1>drove through the backyard to his barn and bouncing across

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<v Speaker 1>the rolls of his neglected and overgrown garden. There she is,

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<v Speaker 1>he said, proudly, smiling. Before I could fully stop the car,

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<v Speaker 1>Chief opened the door as if he thought he could

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<v Speaker 1>jump out. The door swung open with a four so

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<v Speaker 1>strong it swung back toward Chief, and he stopped its

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<v Speaker 1>momentum with the tip of his cane, swinging his legs out. Simultaneously.

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<v Speaker 1>I met him and helped him stand, and we both

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<v Speaker 1>felt above the barn door, eventually finding the key. Except

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<v Speaker 1>for dust and cobwebs, everything was as he left it.

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<v Speaker 1>No family was available to pilfer. No one else knew

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<v Speaker 1>what treasures lay hidden within the rustic walls. There were

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<v Speaker 1>two fly rods on the rack that once held a

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<v Speaker 1>dozen at a time. I left these two here because

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<v Speaker 1>I hoped we'd go fishing together one more day, he said.

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<v Speaker 1>I moved the canoe to the lake's edge and set

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<v Speaker 1>Chief up in the back. After replacing his leader, I

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<v Speaker 1>rigged up his favorite orange and yellow popping bug and

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<v Speaker 1>placed the rod in his weak, shaking hand. I watched

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<v Speaker 1>as his grip tightened on the supple court. I sculled

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<v Speaker 1>the canoe into the center of the lake. We quietly

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<v Speaker 1>anchored both ends, situating ourselves horizontally to the same ragged,

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<v Speaker 1>arthritic branch that grew from the water. I watched as

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<v Speaker 1>he moved a shaking thumb to his mouth, sticking his

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<v Speaker 1>tongue out and placing moisture on the end of it.

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<v Speaker 1>He robed the grime off the bamboo rod, cleaning his

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<v Speaker 1>handwritten label Chiefs Rods, Bluegills. Special pride shone across his

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<v Speaker 1>face as he read it, and this familiar crooked smile returned.

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<v Speaker 1>You smell that, he asked again, as he cast his

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<v Speaker 1>line before him. The bug was quickly and softly sucked

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<v Speaker 1>into the black depths, the rooster tail of water trail

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<v Speaker 1>from his line as he raised his rod. The rod

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<v Speaker 1>immediately bent and the fight was on once again. Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>let me tell you a little bit about this story.

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<v Speaker 1>The author, Scott Hendricks, is the author of three. He

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<v Speaker 1>has three novels out at the moment. One is called

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<v Speaker 1>The Garden Spot, the other is called The Resting Spot,

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<v Speaker 1>and his latest novel is called Justine, which I'm reading

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<v Speaker 1>right now and it's excellent. It's really good book. This story,

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<v Speaker 1>the breakout was entered in the Saturday Evening Post Great

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<v Speaker 1>American Fiction Contest, and he one runner up in the

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<v Speaker 1>twenty twenty five Great American Fiction Contest with this short story.

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<v Speaker 1>I've had the pleasure of talking to Scott over the phone.

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<v Speaker 1>He's a super nice guy. I actually bought these books

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<v Speaker 1>directly from him, with his autograph on them. I really

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<v Speaker 1>appreciate Scott. He's a good writer. He's got a great imagination.

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<v Speaker 1>He's a Southern writer. He's from Mississippi. I'm going to

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<v Speaker 1>put his Amazon and the description right there at the top,

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<v Speaker 1>and if you guys are interested in reading some good books,

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<v Speaker 1>click on that link and take a look at The

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<v Speaker 1>Garden Spot, The Resting Spot, and Just Dean both excellent.

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<v Speaker 1>All three excellent novels. Scott, thank you for allowing me

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<v Speaker 1>to read your short story. I loved it. It brought

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<v Speaker 1>back so many memories with me and some of the

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<v Speaker 1>older guys I fished with, and it just hit home

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<v Speaker 1>for me and it was like I was there with

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<v Speaker 1>Chief the whole time. It is a great story and

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<v Speaker 1>I know why you got runner up, probably should have

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<v Speaker 1>won it. Thank you, Scott for your permission to read

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<v Speaker 1>this story. Okay, that's gonna wind this podcast up a

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<v Speaker 1>non monster podcast. I'd like to do these every once

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<v Speaker 1>in a while because these stories are just really good.

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<v Speaker 1>So I hope you all enjoyed it, and we'll see

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<v Speaker 1>you on the next podcast.