By: Jack Gaither
(based on a true story)

It was still dark when he crawled out of the sack.
His 3 piece cane pole lay on the floor
Along with his little tackle box with hooks sinkers and corks, 'n a
couple of sandwiches just for a snack

He pulled on his clothes in the cool dark morn
And quietly crept down the stairs ...
It was Homer and Roy all dressed in their fishing togs.
"We ready to go?" he herd his dad say
"We're ready" said Homer the car is all gassed,
"And I checked the stuff we need" added Roy.
"let's go then said his dad as the boy heard them pass.

Out the door, to the driveway he slipped,
Hoping they would let him tag along on this fishing trip.All week he had heard them talk of the "Fishing trip to the river"
He hoped they would find room for one more little snip.
They got in the car and he heard his dad say,
"i'm sorry, you can't go, cause it's not my car" and I am with them.

Tears welled up inside as they drove away.
He stood on the curb trying to hold back those tears,
A trip to the river he had dreamed of all week,
But now it seemed lost as the car shifted gears.
They drove out of sight and he couldn't hold back
The tears that now flowed down his cheek.

Then all of a sudden, he saw the car coming round
The corner and stop where he stood.
"Hop in said Homer" as he opened the door.
"We'll give you a try, and see how you do"
He hopped in the car, put his gear on the floor
and again away the car did roar.

The river was only about an hour away,
But it seemed like it took at least half a day.
"We're here" announced Roy in his peculiar way.
The rivers right over there.
He saw it out of the window of the car
through the trees
It didn't seem like much of a river to him
He could wade across it, no need to swim
Water was only just above the knees
'Course he didn't know this was the ford.

They got out the twenty gallon milk jug
With holes in both ends so water would go through but minnows couldn't
swim, and a chain on the handle... Then out came the net with poles on
each end. In the water went the dad and Homer to catch some minnows and
crawdads and such To put them in the jug. To use as bait for the fish they
would catch. The chain was dr'ven solidly in the bank So the jug didn't
drift off while they were away.

Each had a minnow pail
To carry along, as they went 'round the bend.
Looking for hidey holes where they hoped big fish lay in.
His dad led the way toward a place that he knew
where a deep hole was waiting all filled with logs.
He knew there were channel cats that lurked up that way.
He hoped they could catch some of them that day.

If the bait buckets ran low
It was easy enough
All they had do was go back
to the jug,
anchored in the ford
Fill up their pails
And be off to the fray
With those big catfish that they knew always lay
In those hidey holes, deep and dark
Just around the next bend

The boy don't remember how many fish
were caught that day.
Not too many tho probably, 'cause
had there been a lot.
It would have burned in his memory
and he wouldn't have forgot.
He sat on the bank, half asleep in the sun
Didn't know what time t'was
but that didn't matter
He was on a fishing trip with his dad
and that's what counted.

Dad was somewhere aroud the next bend,
so he thought.
When suddenly the boy was airborn, headed straight for the drink
His dad had slipped up and pitched him in clothes and all
He was now drenched to the skin.
He wasn't scared tho, cus he knew how to swim.
His dad jumped in to add to the fun
Since the fish were'nt biting and the day
almost done.

Then Homer and Roy hollered from the far shore,
"Thought we came here to fish, not take a bath"
Dad and boy laughed and splashed till their sides ached with mirth,
After all, they came to the river to have fun,
If the fish wouldn't bite then that was all right.
They'd take their bath early e'n tho got dirtier'n they were b'fore,
climbing out on the bank in the mud and the sand. After all it was
"almost" Saturday night

They shed their clothes and wrung them out
'n hung 'em on a branch to dry
while they took a nap in nothing but leaves
To cover their bare butts 'ncase someone came by.

A little while later
Homer and Roy re arrived
"It's about time to go, we've a long wqy to drive."
It'l be dark 'fore we get home 'f we don't leave soon.
OK said the dad, but the boy wasn't ready--
But he knew he must obey if he was to be invited again

He slept all way and when home came in sight,
His dad had to shake him with nearly all of his might
To waken the boy from his dreams,
Of many more trips, to many more streams.
As the car pulled to a stop
And they started to get out
Roy said "kid, you did OK,
we figured you'd be a pain in the butt... but that didn't happen
Never a whimper or cry or
'I want'a go home',
you'd have stayed all night.
Y'r welcome to come
any time we
Take a Fishin' Trip to the River--
You, your dad, Homer and me!"