The Rubber Fish

It was summer time, but summer time in Michigan doesn’t get that hot. My father suggested we go on a fishing trip. My mother, although a bit reluctant, agreed and we decided that Saturday would be a great day to go. Saturday came and my mother packed a big lunch and my father and I made sure we had enough fishing bait and that the fishing poles were in tip top condition. We loaded up the truck and headed to the river. The weather was just right. Not too cold, not too warm. We all got our fishing poles and went to the edge of the river. My father put his fishing bait on the hook at the end of his pole. Then he helped me put my bait on my fishing pole. My mother had already put her bait on her hook and had already cast it out into the river. So we all waited for the fish to come and bite. It did not take long before my mother felt a tug at her fishing pole. She felt another tug and we realized that she had caught a fish. So we thought. She began to reel in the fish. It must have been big because she needed my father’s help to reel in whatever was on the line. The pulled and pulled. Then the fish pulled and pulled. It was like a game of tug-o-war and nobody was winning! My parents would pull. The fish would pull. My parents would pull. The fish would pull. Finally, it seemed that my mother and father were getting the best of the fish and began reeling him in. The fish was still fighting. I don’t think he wanted to come. They kept reeling and reeling and finally the moment we had been waiting for. My mother and father reeled in a great big . . . Tire! No fish, just a big old tire. Afterward, everyone was so tired from all the excitement, we went home. Maybe next time we could really catch a fish.