Chance Meeting

Families are far from perfect and mine was the same. We loved each other but I was a teenager and I definitely knew all about pushing my mothers buttons. The consequences were not always good for me. When we would argue I would separate myself from the problem at the time and my tomboy side would kick in. I would find my fishing pole and head down to the local Reservoir. Mom and I seemed to argue a lot in my early teenage years. It might have been because my chores weren't done or I was gone to long and didn't feel the need to tell her where I was. She was my best friend but at this age she was also my worst enemy. I had a new stepfather and he meant well but he wasnt my favorite person. So, usually any argument mom and I had it gave me a reason to run out on her.

On the one day that stands out the most to me we had been fighting and my step father had gotten in the middle of the fight again. I felt alone and angry that he even thought he had a say so in our argument.

I was determined to sneak away and make my mom learn to appreciate me a little more. So, I grabbed my fishing pole and headed out. It was hot and there were a few people already with their poles in the water. I found a place and got comfortable. My dad use to always tease me that I could barely be quite let alone set still long enough to wait on a fish. True to this statement, I was throwing my line in the water and reeling it back in. I was not catching a single fish when I heard a mans voice a little ways down from me hollering. He had caught a fish. Of course I had to say something to him because I still wasn't catching anything. I wanted to know what his trick was.

Before I knew it hours had passed and I was starting to catch fish. It was all about a fishing lure and being patient but more than that I think it was about having someone to talk to. The mystery voice was connected to a man who had all sorts of fish stories to tell. He was nice and taught me how to put the lure on my pole and set it at the right depth for me. He was amazed that I knew so much about fishing. Really I think he was amazed that I was a teenage girl that was still into fishing. As he talked I listened intently and then shared stories about me and my dad. Eventually the stories went from being about the fish to being about what brought us to the lake to fish. I told the man all about my stepfather and how I felt about his intrusion on my life. We talked about our fights, School, not seeing my dad and many other topics. The man was a gentlemen and not once inappropriate.

As the day was starting to get late I said my thank yous and bid him farewell but I never shared a phone number or an address. When I did return home I looked at my Stepfather a little different. The man himself was a Stepfather and he had shared some of his stories about how his family treats him. It finally became clear to me on that day that everyone is human and not always out to get the other person. I learned a lot that day with a fishing pole in my hand. Was it a by chance meeting or an arranged blessing from God? I guess only God knows that answer but I can say that I never saw the man again but I was and am forever grateful to him. He showed me both sides of the coin that day and changed my views forever on Stepfathers...