The new young man was flying in with his daughter; they’d grab them at the airport and head out to my house. My buddy sez, the kids from out east, my daughter is very excited, we haven’t even met him yet, and his daughter met the new man in her life online.

Me and my buddy had daughters. I had one, he has three. Dad’s love their daughters and we love them no matter what, but if they come home with young man who not only owns an axe but knows how to swing it, that’s like another father’s day.

He says, might just have that son he always wanted. Wondered if hunted and fished. His two other daughters were heir to the throne on his wish list of future son in-laws. Lots to day dream about we agreed. What if the kid has nice upland shooting or maybe an east coast goose pit?

Anyhow daddies nearest wants a trip up the north shore of Lake Superior before they both head back to New York and we haven’t seen you in years, seems like a two for one good deal. I said fine, but it’s gonna be served dry docked off my deck and will just call it dinner.

So everybody piles out of the new fangled super suburban and my dog does what my dog does when anybody shows up. Luckily it didn’t hit anybodies shoes. Someone with spiked bluish yellow hair wearing a chain I’d use for trapping adorned around his neck got out of the back seat. Being just your average northern Minnesota wood tick I stared until the Mrs. gave me a good old fashioned hug. She whispered in my ear to stop looking so hard and behave.

Walking up my outdoor staircase I asked my buddy if he wanted a cocktail, the answer came back, make it a double.

It’s a stretch I admit and I surely couldn’t read the kids mind, but I think the young man must have thought I was frying chicken. With His first bite he asks “what is this”. I said its fried walleye. What’s walleye? I said its fish. Oh, he said, I tried fishing once, He owned a fishing video game and he would show it to me sometime. My buddy was so quiet, I think I coulda heard a worm drop.