TOPIC:

I couldn’t believe it! The fishing action was awesome. We’d been fishing less than an hour. There were 10 fish or so in the cooler. Each person on the boat had caught a couple, lost a couple and all was right with the world.

The pack of boats was way over there so we had “our spot” all to ourselves. Offshore was a huge ore boat steaming towards Gary. There was a scant ripple on the water, the sun was shining.

Then I turned around and the “kid” in the group (probably 14 years old or so) - otherwise, mom, dad and grampa -the kid was sitting there, phone out, playing a video game.

I think nasty thoughts about dumb-ass kids all the time but I’m good about ignoring it - them - but this time there was no ignoring it. I asked the young man his name. (Don’t remember if he told me earlier or not.)

“Joe,” he said.

“Joe!” I said. “Look up from your phone. Look at this lake, it’s one of the largest lakes in the world. The Great Lakes have 20 percent of all the freshwater in the entire world. You are in a boat on this lake. There’s one of the largest ships in the world just out there steaming to one of the largest steel mills in the world. It’s sunny, calm, likely one of the best days of the year. You’ve caught a couple of salmon and you are going to catch more. Your parents and grandpa are having fun catching fish of their own and they are spending hundreds of dollars to have you along with them. Put the stinking phone away and take a look around you!

Grandpa broke into a smile. Dad turned away. Mom looked at me, then at Joe and said, “He’s right, put the phone away.”

Sometimes you just have to be a grumpy old captain.

Dad paid the bill, mom slipped me a tip - grandpa came back and gave me a bigger tip.

Joe? I don’t know if he learned anything or just thought I was a grumpy old captain.

A job well done Captain!

Right on Captain Grumpy!!!

Awesome!

When I was out with my brother and three nephews (15, 10, 7) the two youngest were wrestling in the bow just being boys. After about 15 minutes of it I asked them, "Do you know what your grandpa used to do when your dad and I were too loud and goofy while fishing? He'd make us get out and walk in front of the boat for ten minutes!" They sat quietly and pondered that for almost ten minutes before getting back to wrestling.

Well put and good job captain

Great job captain!

Good job, could have not been said better