the Scuffy - 19. Chapter 19

“Okay, we need to go and pick up the boys. Nicky, could you walk to Chicken Shack and order what we had last week, two buckets, one regular and one with dark meat? If you see anything else just order it. We’ll stop by after picking up the boys.”

I dropped Nicky off close to the Chicken Snack. We went to get the boys. There was Peter with his nose to the window pane, he smiled and then he was at the car door. Glen let him in while I went and spoke to Grandmother. When I left, I had my arm around Charles.

We pulled up at the Chicken Shack, Nicky came out with a large bag, “Wait, I have another”

I wonder what else he ordered. At the dock, we unloaded everything, Glen drove the car home. The boys and I carried the food on board, Nicky helped to stow it away. Charles and Peter had a warm biscuit. It wasn’t long before Glen was back.

Nicky and I looked at the map, “Okay Nicky, we fished here and here. The storm helped us here, so where shall we go?”

“I think we should go back there. Because of the storm, we got our load in three pulls, if we go there now, we’ll probably do okay but we’d have to fish on Sunday.”

“Okay, pilot, that’s what we will do. I’ll get the anchor and lines and then you can take her out.”

The smile was all the thanks I needed. Glen was proud of Nicky and I just added to it. Peter rode on his stool, every once in a while he said he’d see a flying fish. I knew there are fish with large fins that give the appearance of flying when they jump out of the water.

We were ready to drop the nets at seven. Dinner was the chicken from Chicken Shack. I noticed that we had a lot more biscuits and two extra cartons of gravy. I looked at Nicky and he smiled. The boys fixed a plate, Peter stayed on the stool, Charles sat on a box across the small table where Uncle sat, Glen, Nicky and I fixed a plate and went to sit on the bench at the stern.

We chatted about Nicky’s school and his future, about getting a second car, about fishing, mostly about how we pick spots to fish. “You know it’s sad that there aren’t any mermaids. They could tell us where to fish.”

“Don’t let Uncle hear you. These Captains can make up the weirdest tales about fishing and sunken treasure. I think it’s the salt air from the ocean winds that caused them to make up such tales. Over the years Uncle has told a few and whenever he’d look at me, he’d wink. That was the signal that he was making it all up. Believe me, listen at the Captain’s table at the Wharf, if you want to hear some tall tales.”

We laughed as we brought our plates back to the cabin to clean. “What’s so funny, Dad?”

“We were thinking that you were the cause of us having good luck at fishing. Nicky thinks you are calling the fish to our nets. Are you?”

“No, Dad, that’s silly, I can’t speak fish talk.” We laughed as I gave him a hug.

“You know Kevin, there’s some truth to that. I heard many a captain say he’d rather have a young boy on his ship when he went fishing than an old man.”

I knew this was one of Uncle’s stories and I’d expect it to be repeated at the Captain’s table. I looked at Peter, he was laughing and hugging Uncle.

“Okay, guys, we should get to bed. Charles, you and Nicky take Cabin1, we’ll take Cabin 2.” We took the time to empty our bladders and this time Peter joined us. He was a fisherman and what fishermen did, he was going to do it as well. The three of us, together on the top bunk, Peter likes to snuggle.

The horn went off at four as usual, Peter jumped and was ready to cry, “Peter, remember that’s to tell us that the fish are ready for us.” I gave him an extra hug as we got down and headed for the stern, the ocean was a little low and needed more water.

Nicky and Glen, pulled the port net, Charles and I handled the paddles, pushing the fish into the holds. I knew we’d be here Sunday, the load was okay but we’d need to pull the nets at least four times before heading home. The starboard net was just as full as the port net.

“Kevin, should we move?”

“No, we’re okay. The nets were as full as they were two weeks ago, but we’ll need to fish on Sunday before we get a full load.”

With the nets back in the water, it was breakfast time. Now we knew what Nicky had up his sleeve. He took the biscuits, opened them, added leftover chicken, then covered them in gravy. Popped them in the microwave, we had a hot breakfast.

“Nicky, what made you think of this.”

“The school cafeteria fixes these with sausage, I thought why not with chicken. I think they are good. What do you think?”

“I agree, we’ll need to make these more often. Anything else we can borrow from the school cafeteria?”

“We could always have cereal, hot and cold.”

“Glen, I never thought of that, but a bowl of hot oatmeal with some fruit would be good for breakfast. Put that on our list.”

We pulled the nets at two and at seven. I figured we'd need at least two more pulls before we headed home, with the nets in the water, ala Nicky.

The two o’clock pull, was slightly less than the four thirty pull this morning, but it was okay. The seven o’clock pull was a little more, Peter wanted to help, so I gave him a paddle and helped him push fish. After a few minutes, he was doing ok, so I let him to it.

There was no question, we’d need two more pulls before we could head in. The main holding tank was almost full, one more net would fill it but the livebait tank was empty. We’d need a full net for that tank.

We had sandwiches for lunch and left over coleslaw. Every time I look at the amount of lunch meat Stella gives us, I am astounded that they are still in business. There was no way, we could eat all of that food in two days. I knew we’d be taking some of that home.

The frozen lasagna was just what we needed for dinner. It was hot and not bad for a prepackaged frozen dinner. The nice thing was there was enough and everyone had as much as they wanted. We had a few packs left, but they would go home with us. I really need to get that freezer Ron showed me. The last I checked it was on order.

Sunday’s pulls did the trick. The pull at four o’clock in the morning was better than yesterday. Nicky was smiling, “Get the coffee on, we’ll start back after lunch.”

Breakfast was left overs. The biscuits, a little gravy, no chicken so the boys decide on biscuits and corned beef sandwich for breakfast. I looked at Glen, he shrugged his shoulders as if to say why not. Glen, Nicky, Uncle and I had biscuits with the remaining gravy and a biscuit with corned beef.

The two o’clock pull topped the tanks. We didn’t use the tins but that was okay. We headed home with nets in the water. I went and brought ten tins to the bow. I figured any fish in the nets, we’d dump directly in the tins. I showed Charles how to pull the anchor, he’d need a little practice but he could do it.

We were about two hours out, when Nicky blew the whistle. The boys, mostly Charles with Peter’s help, went and gathered the sheets and pillow cases. “Dad, what do we do with these?”

“Stuff the sheets in the pillow cases. Look in that cupboard across from my bunk, there should be a canvas bag, put the pillow cases and sheets in it. I’ll get it when we dock.”

Nicky was ready to dock, “Charles, come here son, we are ready to dock.” He came up with the canvas bag. I smiled, “Let’s go and drop anchor.” He did it. We had pulled the nets about one hour out, so I had the tins ready. As soon as we were anchored and lines tied, I started to fill the tins. Charles, Peter and Glen helped. Peter made sure no fish escaped.

“Charles, you and Nicky check weights.” Glen and I began to unload the tins. I asked for more tins from the cannery people since we had the holds to empty. Two of the cannery people came on board to help unload. That speeded the unloading considerably.

When everything was finished, “Glen, go and get cleaned up and bring the car down. We can unload the ice chests directly into the trunk and not have to carry them up the hill.”

Uncle was still selling fish, the cannery were weighing the last ten tins and Peter was watching the crabs. Glen was back in twenty minutes, I think he ran home and if he hadn’t smelled right, I’d swear he didn’t take a shower. Nicky and I loaded the ice chests in the trunk of the car. The boys and I walked back, “I need to stop and dropped this payment off at the bank. You can get started getting showered and I”ll be along in five - ten minutes.” I hadn’t counted on Peter staying with me. I put him on my shoulders as I fast walked to the bank and then home. Peter was having a good time, laughing as he sat on my shoulders.

Arriving home, Peter would shower first, then I would follow. Nicky and Charles were dressed. While Peter showered, I added more ice to the ice chests.

Showered and dressed, we had fish to deliver. First stop was Grams, the boys said she would like to be called Grams instead of Grandmother. Going in with her fish, I paid the boys. I had to go and see Peter put his money in his bank. We stayed a few minutes and then we had to leave. Before leaving I told Gram that next week the boys would be coming with us as we delivered the fish. Giving the boys a hug and kiss, Glen and I left for Glen’s parents.

The routine was the same, I took fish for Glen’s mom and her neighbor. Glen’s dad was barbecuing in the back and when he saw us he asked for those hot dogs left over from several weeks ago, I think this will become a routine. I paid Nicky, got a hug, that he initiated this time. Glen saw that and smiled.