Uncle Chet

Chet married my fathers sister, way back in the 30’s.

Chet was about 18, and my father was unimpressed and referred to him as “the kid.” But Chet was a good guy and he was married to my aunt until he died in his mid 80’s.

At one point he went to see his doctor and the doctor said that Chet had blockage of the arteries (remember I am not a medical person so my words could be technically wrong!), and that a triple or quadruple bypass would increase his health and longevity. He was otherwise very healthy and so the doc said, he was a very good “candidate”.

So they did the surgery, and there were complications, and when that complication was dealt with another would crop up. It took about 2 months of pure hell for Chet to die. It was agonizing for all of us.

There is a huge lesson there. He would have lived longer and a LOT cheaper without the cussed surgery.

Which brings me back to Lloyd. Both Lloyd and Chet were avid fishermen. About the time Lloyd retired he invited Chet, who was 10 or 12 years older, go to fishing.

That was the beginning of a very close friendship, and a lot of fishing trips. Out on the water in that aluminum boat, there is a lot of time to visit, and these two men really bonded. They told stories they would have told no one else, fully trusting each other.

It was one of those once or twice in a lifetime experiences for both of them. My aunt, a vegetarian, was not thrilled by all of this fishing stuff, but after Chet was gone, she regretted that she did not encourage him more to do the one thing that he really enjoyed.

I am about as much younger than Lloyd as he was younger than Chet. We are very good friends, but if I were a fisherman and if we went fishing together a few dozen times, that friendship would deepen, I am positive.

But one of my two major failings in retirement (the other being that I do not play golf) is that I am not a fisherman. I have offered to go along just for the company (Lloyd and I would have a good time I am sure), but it seems you are born a fisherman or you were not.

Old age conversions are rare among fishermen, I would guess. And, as much as I am not into that sport, once in a while I wish I were!