Chapter 4

The weather was changing as it was getting warmer. Scott had spent these colder months narrating some audiobooks as well as working on an outline for his next new book his publisher was asking him for. The plot for this book was going to be about a billionaire who in cahoots with a long term US Senator who has aspirations of becoming the next President directs his Chief-of-Staff to assemble a small group of beautiful prostitute women and handsome men to have sex with Politicians and Judges while secretly video recording this activity. The videos are then used to blackmail these people to control legislation and judicial rulings. It is up to the book’s hero to discover what is going on and put an end to this along with dispensing some instant justice.

Scott realized that he needed to take a little break from what he was doing to enjoy his life here more. To that end he planted a small vegetable garden in his backyard which he enclosed with the chicken wire that was there to protect it from the animals who would feast on it given the opportunity. That was done and now what else could he do was the thought running through his mind.

He was driving into town to do his weekly food shopping when he noticed an aluminum fishing boat on a trailer parked on a house’s driveway that had a for sale sign on it. When Scott was younger he had done some fishing with his father during family vacations which he enjoyed doing and thought that was something he could now do here. He turned into this driveway and parked his SUV.

Scott was looking at the boat when an elderly man came out of the house and walking up to Scott said, “It’s a fourteen year old sixteen foot StarCraft aluminum fishing boat with a twenty five horsepower electric start Evinrude outboard motor. You can see it is tiller controlled and it runs good. These two high back seats are very comfortable. I usually fish by myself so I have it set up for a one person operation with the crank up anchor handle located back here. It comes with two downriggers and a Lowrance fish locator. By the way my name is Walt Rakowski, “ and he extended his hand.

Shaking hands Scott introduced himself and said, “What are these side poles for?”

“They make retrieving the boat from the water and winching it back on to the trailer easier. Doing the retrieving of a boat putting it back on to the trailer can be cumbersome and these poles are guides that center the boat on the trailer making it easier to do that.”

“Can I ask why you are selling the boat?”

“Two reasons. The first one being my wife wants to move closer to where my daughter and the grandkids live and that is in Moline, Illinois so we are moving. The second reason is that I suffered a stroke which could have been worse than it was but it did leave me to where I have very little control over my left arm. You do realize that it takes two good hands to handle a rod and reel and I just can’t do it anymore.”

“So tell me, how is fishing around here?”

“Actually pretty good if you know where to go and what to do,” Walt said with a smile on his face.

Since this would give Scott something to do during the summer he asked Walt what was the price for the boat. Walt told him and to Scott thought it could be a little high but it sounded reasonable.

“I’ll tell you what Walt, I will give you what you are asking for this boat under one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“That is that you go fishing with me and show me where to go and what to do.”

Shaking Scott’s hand again Walt was laughing and said, “You have a deal but we are moving in two weeks so it is going to need to do it soon.”

Scott left saying he was going into town to do some shopping and also to have a trailer hitch put on his SUV and the electrical trailer connection. He would be back tomorrow to exchange the money for the title. He asked about going fishing the following day and Walt said that was fine. Walt further said since there was no haggling over the price he was throwing in some rods and reels along with his tackle box.

It turned out Walt was not exaggerating when he said he knew how to fish. The first time they fished it was at Green Lake and using the downriggers and the fish locator they trolled and caught some Lake Trout. That was followed by fishing at Castle Rock Lake for Northerns and Walleyes and then Petenwell Lake for more Northerns and Walleyes along with White Bass and Crappies. While they didn’t fish the Wisconsin River Walt told Scott where to go and how to fish it.

Scott had a nice time in fishing and in being with Walt. On his last day after fishing with him Scott gave Walt a bottle of Crown Royal and thanked him for sharing his fishing knowledge with him. Walt in turn said he had a nice time in doing this fishing probably for his last time and gave Scott maps of lakes and the Wisconsin River where he had marked the good fishing spots. They parted as friends with Scott promising to send Walt periodic e-mails about his fishing success.

Scott took the time to do fishing by himself and was fairly successful. His success was such that he purchased a smoker since he liked the taste of smoked fish. He had just finished smoking some Lake Trout which he thought he would share with Dana. Other that waiving to her when he saw her driving her car he really hadn’t spoken to her since Christmas. He placed some of this smoke Trout on a paper plate covered with aluminum foil and walked over to her house.

She gave him a nice smile when she opened her door and invited him in. His thought of her being one good looking woman was confirmed by the tan shorts and the white pullover she was wearing.

He presented her with the plate of smoked Trout saying, “I thought you and Peter would enjoy having some freshly smoked trout.”

“I will certainly enjoy it as smoked fish is one of my favorites and I also will eat Peter’s share since he doesn’t live here anymore.”

“Why? What happened?” said a shocked Scott.

“He told me that he didn’t love me anymore and he wanted a divorce so he could be with someone that he loved.”

“All I can say is that I would like to see who this woman is because she must be gangbusters if he would leave you for another woman.

Scott’s remark caused Dana to lose her composure as she now started to cry and said, “He didn’t leave me for a she.”

“You mean he?”

“Yes, that’s what he told me.”

Scott walked up to Dana who was crying and wrapped his arms around her and held her for more than a few minutes until he felt her calming down.

She was still in his arms as she moved her head back a little and looked in his eyes. He could see the tears in her eyes in looking at her. Nothing was said for probably a half a minute as they looked at each other.