David text and asked if I wanted to go night fishing with him. Yayyy! Look at me being invited on a guy activity he usually does with his dad, friends or by himself.
I made a quick pot of coffee, because heading out at 9:00 p.m. is the start of pre-bedtime exhaustion, put on walking through the park appropriate long clothing to ward of mosquito's and was in my very best wait-till-he-sees-what-a-good-fishing-partner-I-am persona.
It's pretty dark outside.
He doesn't really know I am afraid of the dark. In all fairness, I guess we've never been put into a dark like this outdoor situation.
We pull into the park with a parking lot full of trucks with boat trailers. Good, plenty of people.
Not good walking away from everyone ...
With flashlight in hand, I follow behind him on a trail back through the woods. I do a mental quick-assessment of exactly what do I have on me for protection sake? A cell phone is only as good as the reception that it gets and I'm not so sure I am so speedy to access it, dial for help, then try to explain where I am in this massive park. A weapon will work better.
Flashlight in his hand, me behind him does not give me a lit path. Panic and fear creep up on me.
Dear God, he comes back into these places by himself?! I know I sent up at least 10 serious as all heck prayers that I will need 10,000 angels surrounding us for safety, but please God, don't let me see even one angel! I prefer the invisible realm to me, but clearly seen to others.
A quick memory check to remember if I've ever heard of bodies found back here. All the while, David is tromping fearlessly through this dark forest.
We arrived at an open area by the water. In the daylight, I'd bet it is a beautiful spot. At night ... the woods were singing in tree frogs and nuts dropping off trees.
The Coleman lamp lit, chairs set up and David remembers he forgot the bait in the truck. I'm getting punk'd, pranked and this is a funny set-up to scare me.
It wasn't.
I stayed behind at the fishing site with this incredible hatchet that I came to terms that I will use if need be. My back to the water, my eyes darted back and forth from side to side looking through the trees unsure of which side the attack was going to come from. David's flashlight disappeared into the woods.
Five hours passed ... okay, it was maybe eight minutes when David's flashlight came back into view.
Unaffected, unafraid to the point of relaxation and enjoyment on his end, this is what he loves. Fishing and night fishing.
Me, it felt like the Blair Witch Project and I don't watch scary movies for a reason!
If there are three men in my life I would select to be with if put into an unsavory condition, it would be with David, my dad or my brother. All three are fearless and neither of them would go down without taking casualties.
Remove the dark, the woods, anxiety and fear and it was truly a beautiful evening. The water calm, fishing lights from boats graced the waters and it was a warm summer evening with no chill in the air or any nighttime aggravating bugs.
David knew I nervous but he didn't realize how unnerved I was. He laughed and said your hatchet is any good to you in your belt loop. I explain I would have looked especially crazed with a hatchet weapon in hand standing in the light of a Coleman lamp on the waters edge looking wild-eyed darting back and forth through the woods alone.
If you ever witness a scene like this while strolling on a path in the evening, it is probably just me night fishing with David as he is relaxing and doing what he loves.
