Chapter 3: Fishing with Alan

The next day Alan approached his grandson as he stood outside painting. His backside was still sore and Neal decided that he really didn't want to sit much until the soreness went away. And he was still ashamed of getting into trouble so soon into their stay with the Mitchells'.

He stood watching Neal for a few minutes before approaching. "That's real nice…you've captured the scene real well, son."

Neal acknowledged his comment with a smile but continued to paint. Alan walked away for a few minutes before he returned with two rods and a tackle box. "Come with me son…we are going fishing and this time it is going to be just you and me." He then walked away expecting Neal to follow…Neal just looked at him for a few minutes as he walked on. He soon realized that Alan wasn't going to stop and quickly put his paints away, hastily wiping his brushes and stored them. He then ran to catch up not realizing his grandmother was watching from the kitchen window and smiling.

By the time Neal walked up to the car, Alan had everything packed and was just about to drive off. Neal gingerly got into the front seat and winced, but fortunately the journey the river Alan was going to was only a few miles away.

Once they arrived at the spot Alan wanted, he took the time to show Neal all he needed to fly fish. Then he showed him personally how to cast, explaining as he went that they were not using bait to catch the fish but lures disguised as flies. Some were dull but many were brightly colored. "What we are doing son, is conning the fish to strike at our fake fly instead of the real thing. We lightly place the fly on the surface the water and make it dance like a real fly in hopes that the fish will strike thinking it has a meal but in reality it has becomes ours. Do you want to give it a try now?" Alan asked Neal who nodded as he imitated Alan as he cast his line back and forth until he finally reached where he wanted it to stay.

Together Neal and Alan cast back and forth until Neal felt a small tug and looked at Alan who nodded, "Now set the hook boy…yank back quickly…that's it and pull in your catch," which Neal happily did and soon was netting a largemouth bass.

Alan smiled as he recognized that Neal had not only hooked a fine specimen of fish, but himself as well. He was hooked on fly fishing as well. He took the fish from Neal and placed it on a line brought especially for that purpose. Soon both men were happily back at it as one and then the other caught fish after fish. As the sun was threatening to go down Alan, reluctantly turned to Neal and said, "That's all we can do for now. Let's get these fish back to your grandmother and mother for cooking. We will have to do this again real soon."

Just as the boys were packing up to come home Peter walked in from outside. "Where's Neal? I found his easel and paints outside but no Neal?"

El looked up from the salad she was making with alarm. "You don't think that he's in trouble again."

"He's with Alan," came the calm reply from El's mom, Marie. "They left soon after lunch. Alan's taking him fishing again…just the two of them."

Peter and El exchanged a look when Marie spoke up, "Here they are and your young man looks very happy…they must have had a great time."

Peter and El went out to welcome them home. "So did you catch anything son?" asked Peter as he looked at the fish the two were carrying between them.

They only had to see the smiling face of their boy to get their reply. "Neal is a natural," volunteered Alan as he carried the fish to the back of the house to clean them. "Once he understood the fundamentals of fly fishing he took to it right away. He seemed to know just when the fish were about to take the fly and set the hook before they knew what hit them," Alan continued to praise.

"You are going to still teach me to make my own flies, grandpa?" Neal asked without thinking.

"That's tomorrow's lesson…now you can learn how to clean your catch so your grandmother can cook them," replied a clearly proud grandfather. Neal followed Alan and soon Peter and El heard the natural laughter of their boy and knew that her parents had accepted their son.

"Now all we have to do is get my folks to love him, too," whispered Peter as he leaned in for a kiss.

"That comes next."