The Humor and Life, in Particular Web site |
Kate Taylor died April 3 2010. Kate Taylor was a humorist, essayist and friend. This is Kate Taylor's award winning short story:
Something Fishy
There’s something fishy about my brother-in-law, Bob. He was born in the manly state of Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes. So, you might say, that fishing is in his jeans ... er, I mean genes.
When my sister married Bob, she developed a fishing philosophy: "Feed a man a fish, you feed him for one meal. Teach a man to fish and you’ll have your weekends free!" At least, that’s how it was supposed to work, until this fishing thing got way out of line.
Early one Saturday morning Bob was out with his fishing buddies when they stumbled across a quiet little spot teeming with fish. Not just any fish. These were the incredibly hungry walleyed variety. A dream come true… albeit a wet one ...for any avid fisherman.
Bob eagerly reached for his tackle box and pulled out his lucky Walleye Northland Lipstick jib with a double barbed hook. He reverently placed the jib on the end of his line, twirled on a bit of bait and tossed it at the fish.Immediately, he felt a familiar tug and his reel began to sing. Wally, an unsuspecting yellow walleye, had gobbled the bait and took off like a bullet only to be brought up short by a hitch in his giddy up.
Wally fought valiantly as walleyes tend to do and, in a last bid for freedom, dove under a branch in the water tangling the line. A brilliant move on his part!
Bob, not about to lose his lunch yanked, pulled and tugged with all his might when suddenly the line sprang free! Wally, as luck would have it, was still attached but was now heading straight for Bob at the speed of fright! They both let out a holler just as Wally smacked Bob right between the eyes.At this point, his fishing buddies looked up. What they saw put fear into each and every one.
You see, Wally had attained the ultimate revenge for a walleye fish…well any fish for that matter. Because there he was, thrashing wildly, suspended from the end of Bob’s nose. The walleye Northland Lipstick jib with the double barbed hook had certainly done its job! Well, too good of a job actually because Wally and Bob had become one, leaving Bob with a wriggling nose ring of giant proportions.
After several 6-packs and much debate, it was decided to remove the edible portion of the now deceased Wally and head for the nearest barb removing facility.
It caused quite a stir in the ER when people noticed Wally’s remains dangling from the end of Bob’s nose. The doctor took one look at the conjoined pair, chuckled, and said, "Well, now there’s something you don’t see every day! I may need a second opinion." Twelve giggling consultations later, Bob lost his patience and demanded that they do something immediately!
The doctor shrugged, grabbed a clipper and unceremoniously snipped the double barbed hook. Two stitches later Bob was on his way home, fish free and feeling just a little bit silly. The sedative had finally kicked in.
Since the barbing incident, Bob has retired his lucky Walleye Northland Lipstick jib. The dangling portion of Wally has been stuffed and now sits atop Bob’s fireplace, a gift from his fishing buddies. And my philosopher sister has had to trade in her fishing theory for a matched pair of barbed earrings that appear whenever things start to get a little out of line.
©Kate Taylor
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
(written in 2004)
Kathryn Rose Taylor, Kate, began her writing career at a very young age, using her own special blend of Skippy and Ovaltine on the playroom wall. She intuitively understood the concept that writers must sometimes eat their words.
With the complete support of her parents and preschool teacher she took a writing sabbatical until…not too long ago…Erma Bombeck appeared to her in a dream wearing nothing but a paper crown and holding a plumber’s helper. As Kate knelt before her, Erma anointed her with anchovy paste, tapped both her shoulders and handed over the plumber’s helper. From that moment on Kate vowed to stop eating pizza before bed, unclogged the bathroom tub and started writing about everything that made her giggle.
Kate Taylor writes a weekly syndicated humor column designed to make your doodle snicker. Click on Snickerdoodles.
(written in 2010 by Margie Culbertson)
Kate Taylor, a member of my Writers With Humor Yahoo Discussion Group (WWH) since 2003, and one of the authors in my latest book “Laugh Your Shorts Off”, died very, very suddenly on April 3, 2010. Kate Taylor was only 55 years old.
Kate was someone who sparkled when she entered a room. I know, because I met her for lunch a few years ago when I lived in WA state (I lived near Seattle and she lived near Longview, so we met in the middle to eat, chat, and laugh.)
Kate was one of a kind: she changed her name when she was 40 just because she wanted to; she learned how to play chess from her child and then became a community “chess activist!”; and her weekly Snickerdoodles column was loved by so many. Always full of down-home humor which all can relate to, Kate Taylor was a dear friend of mine for seven years wonderful years.
Even if you weren't lucky enough to know Kate personally, you knew her work, her wit, and her wisdom.
The world is a little more quiet tonight now that I know Kate is not there at the other end of the phone for me to call.
Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking Sites.
It helps give the page "votes” and it helps you find this page later on!
©Margie Culbertson
Back to The Humor and Life, in Particular Home Page