October 10, 2007
5am, North Umpqua River, Oregon. River trail to the Kitchen Hole.
"Shit Chick, this dog of yours is fishy. Do you suppose he is going to piss off the dawn patrol so we can have the stretch to ourselves? How long you had him?”
"Little over a year...This is Dan. Dan the dog. He's still a twitchy but loves walk up shooting and loves to steelhead.... How's your dad?"
"Not sure, haven't seen him yet."
"Dude... when did you get in?
"Day before yesterday…"
"Well shit, he is gonna have a case of the ass when he finds out that you came down here to catch the start of the fall run instead of going home first."
"Hope not...I think he'll understand."
"Well, for what it’s worth, thanks for asking me to fish with you. It means a lot. We all missed you."
Mike stopped on the trail, reached into his Dan Baily's and pulled out a cigarette. "Stop being a pussy."
"Fuck you." Said Chick. "Don't be a prick your whole life..."
The cigarette threw off enough light so that you could see the smile on Mike's face..."Joking dude..., let's go catch some steelhead."