Yeah, I like to fish

[Greenmachine]

I'm in the air conditioning trade and went to a warranty job yesterday for a company we deal with.

It was at an old fellas house at Paradise Point, he was 94 years old, been in 2 wars flying bombers and he said he's only ever owned American cars. A nice 2 door Buick Riviera sitting in his garage caught my eye and we had a great conversation while fixing his a/c.

Anyway as I was saying cherio on my way out he asks if I like wine. I said I dont drink too often but I dont mind a wine. He says I've got all this dam wine here I picked up for a family do thats now been cancelled and I dont know what I'm gonna do with it. Here, will you please take some and hands me a six pack of wine. I wasnt going to take it at first but he insisted so I thanked him very much and started out the driveway.

I realised I hadn't got the model/serial number off the a/c unit and needed it to claim the warranty so I popped back out of the van and grabbed the details I needed.

He then asks me if I like to have a fish?

Mate I love fishing, I fish every week, can't get enough! He then tells me a great yarn of how he outsmarted his mate who was always bragging that he could catch the biggest fish.So one time he filled his fish with lead sinkers so it weighed much more than his mates!

He then says well I got these old rods hanging on the wall and I havn't used them in about 6 years, would they be of any use to you? I couldn't wait to check them out but at the same time thought I shouldn't.

Anyway He had 2 fibreglass rods there, an 7ft Hank Newman and a 9ft Wilson with an alvey sidecast on it.

I said surely someone in his family would use them but he insisted I take them as he wiil never use them again and would rather see them be of use to me than just hang on his wall.

I gratefully accepted them and took them with me along with the wine.

The wilson is suprisingly light and has great action and think would be a great rod for flicking slugs in the seaway or off the beach. Gonna replace a few of the guides and give it ago..

I'm sitting here now writing this, drinking wine and thinking of what a top bloke that guy is and my missus is baking him some muffins to take over tomorrow to say thanks.

Meeting and talking with such an experienced fellow and his generousity really made an impression on me

that I wont forget. Cheers Rob

[Shimanobwoie]

Sounds like a nice bloke. Alot of them old blokes are good to chat with just to hear there life stories and even better if they have some fishing stories.

[kreel]

I've had a bad day, that lived up to my usual saying: "Don't you hate".

After reading your post I feel much better about my day, because just outside my experience of the day there are good people. Thankyou

[keen_as]

Diamond amongst the rough.

[Malcolm]

Sounds like you made each others day

[Surfingant]

Some folks are just like that and it's a shame there are not more like him.

[blockah]

i think i would take some muffins around to. who knows what you will come home with then, nah sounds like a nice old fella,

[rosstralia46]

wat a great story mate sounds like a top bloke

[Manni79]

Thanks for the read mate, that's something you don't see very often, i'm sure he will love some baked muffins in return

[Greenmachine]

There was alot more to our conversations than I can fit in to a post without writing a book but my experience has changed the way I think about his generation,( and older people in general) and knowing there is still some great people out there!

Yep a top bloke

[Keen-as-fisho]

Makes my day too getting customers like that. Getting a cold drink on the job makes me happy.

[Doobsy]

Great stuff.

Had to deal with a couple of real "So-and-so's" today and this post reminded me of the good that's still out there in some of us.

Thanks for sharing.