Tom’s “Flint River Reflections”

These days of controversy about war and peace, health care , and politics sent me back to my days on the Flint river down in Georgia just below Atlanta. My family and I spent many days and nights reflecting while waiting on a big Flint River bass to bite. In those days in deep Georgia there was only one political party, therefore most of our discussions centered on the people, issues, and whose influence someone might be under. For instance, were they a disciple of Senator Richard Russell or part of the Eugene Talmadge group. There was considerable Atlanta versus the rest of the state but Atlanta wasn’t as large in those days. Goodness knows we were a long way from alright bout things of race.

It was always understood that before the evenings were over everyone would feel the sting of a joke at their expense. Also understood was that you checked your thin skin at the highway about a mile away and that you entered the joke rather than feeling like the tail end. The thing about dropping in a line in the Flint River and trying to catch a big Flint River Bass is you have a lot of time to talk things out, like what you agree about and what you disagree about! While that bait is on the hook and you are waiting on that Flint River Bass you really get to know people and hear the stories of life. Somehow you always had time to tell a story or remember an event. There were the stories about my grandma Annie that I never knew, and Mr. Adair who we all wished we had never known. We had time to laugh, and you know the whole “who has power” thing didn’t matter to much because the only one who had any real power was that Flint River Bass.

I remember the job I had of helping Daddy or uncle J.B. carry the tackle/tool box down the lane to our spot on the river. Mostly I remember the day J.B said do it yourself and after arriving at the fishing spot complaining came Dad’s reply “time you grew up.”

From that time on every so often came one more job or expectation. Oh, mom or dad or uncle could have continued to help or do for me, but sooner or later a man has got to start taking some responsibility on his shoulders. I learned that on the Flint River waiting on the great big Flint River Bass.