Big Fish

by Doreen Aletha Paul Watson
There are so many special moments that I have spent with the my Dad, but the very first thing that came to mind was the fact that I’m seeing him now as he ages. As we all can see, the more he ages, the better looking he becomes. Yesterday was special because he smiled a lot (April 27, 2004). We are trying to clean his yard up so he can walk around and see where he is going without beating back the bushes. It is all coming together nicely, and I am so enjoying myself doing it and watching him smile each time he walks out to inspect our work.

A very special day in particular was one that we spent on the bank at Jimmy Watson’s catfish pond. Keith had me to call Edith and see if she, James and Dad wanted to fish. The Watson’s had just completed their week of family reunion and each time they do get together; Jimmy fills the pond with fish, so we got to go after some of what was left. Keith and I had been fishing about an hour and a half when the rest of the family arrived with Keith only catching a few tiny fish. Along came Pop. He smiled, threw his line out and in less than 90 seconds pulled out a big catfish. Then it was fun and fishing the rest of the afternoon. I had never been around my oldest sister, Edith, James and Stacey without the rest of the family being around until that day and we shared it with Daddy. It was so special to me. Whether they realize it or not, I don’t know, but what started out as just another Saturday morning finding something to do in Brewton turned out to be a day of so much fun that I wished all of my family could have been there.

I love you Dad.

Doreen, an LPN is the baby of the family. She followed in Mama Sarah's shoes.