If You're A Bettin' Kind Of Fella

We just finished fishing as the graupel (yes it is a real word) started to hit us in the face.  Fishing in the mountains is always unpredictable.  You can have snow in July, rain in December and yes, graupel in May. (I know you looked it up.  I saw you.)

We piled into the car and tossed the fishing poles into the back along with the snack bag, folding chairs, umbrella, gloves, hats, scarves, fishing net and the tackle box.  Fishing requires “stuff”.  We decided to show our niece, who was visiting, the other two little reservoirs on the mountain and enjoy a short little drive in the mountains.  We made the turn and started the winding switchbacks down, then up, then down again until our oldest asked us to stop.  His hand still smelled like fish and wanted to wash it a little with the remaining water bottle water out the door. 

We stopped. He washed (as best as you can when you have a cast on your arm). We continued. Fish smell now tolerable.

My husband slowed as we came to the top of the road where we waited for a huge F450 like truck to move along and finish their sightseeing.  The clouds had moved in and the rain was due any moment as we showed her some of our other fishing spots and how low the water line was.  

Just then, our fishy hand boy asked if I had his phone, which I did not.  He frantically searched his pockets, patted down his jacket, unbuckled and searched the seat when he remembered he heard a “gravel” like sound when we stopped for him to wash his hand.

(This is when I took a deep breath and shook my head and did everything I could not to roll my eyes at him.) 

”You heard a ‘gravel’ sound?” 

“Yeah, when we stopped.  I bet it fell out of the car.”

Well, let’s just say, if you’re a bettin’ kind of fella, this is a hands down sure thing put everything you have left on this bet.  You are sure to come out smellin’ like a rose and not fish.

We couldn’t turn around as it was a one-way loop, so continued into the loop one more time and slowly made our way around the corner, only to see our Mr. F450 in front of us making the loop once again as well.  We all sat on the edges of our seats and peered out the windows looking for a “flat” phone, when my husband spotted it face down.  He stopped and our son opened his door and let out a huge sigh of relief as his picked it up with no scratches, no broken screen and no F450 tire marks.  

(You can make your way to the betting window to collect your winnings now.)

One lucky kid.   He said someone must have been looking out for him and we all smiled and I shook my head once again and know I rolled my eyes in disbelief.  That is one lucky kid.

Well, I know you think the story ends here…but it doesn’t.

We made our way back to the house and our youngest begged to have a fire in the fire pit to finish off the cool damp day.   It felt wonderful and we all curled up in our chairs and watched the flames and the smoke and laughed again how lucky our son was to have found his phone unscathed.   The night settled in and the fire smoldered as we headed in for the night.

An hour passed.

While I was tucking in our youngest for the night, our oldest hollers from the doorway with the home phone in his hand, “Hey, mom, I’ll be right back.  I’m gonna go outside for a minute.” 

Outside at 10 o’clock at night?  Does he really think I’m not going to question that?  I peered out the bedroom window to see him walking around in the dark with the home phone to his ear. 

Are you kidding me?  Did he really lose his phone AGAIN? Twice in  one day?  I started laughing and just watched him look under the chairs, around the fire pit, in the grass, on the deck.  I couldn’t stop smiling. 

He came back in and finally told us he couldn’t find his phone and we just laughed.  He called it over and over again and then heard it buzzing in the closet.   It was in the coat pocket of my jacket.  How it got there, we will never know.  (Or should I say, I will never tell!)

We all had a good laugh and headed upstairs for the night.  The day had finally came to a close.  I couldn't stop thinking how lucky that kid is if I say so myself.  Someone is definitely looking out for him.  Definitely.