Hooked on Fishing

The water is calm except for the lure skimming the surface of the canal. Repeatedly it's cast outward then reeled towards me in an effort to entice the fish lurking below to strike but on this morning the only thing biting are the gnats. Erin has wandered off in pursuit of squirrels and other pleasures as she often does when we go fishing and before long I notice her heading in my direction. "Been exploring good girl?" With a wag of her tail she makes her way over to my side and it's at that point I notice something isn't right; there's a splash of vibrant color in a patch of brown fur. Upon closer examination I realize a yellow fishing lure has penetrated her flesh and is swinging like a pendulum upon movement. Concern and anger consume me as removal is attempted but it's much too deep to get out thus a flurry of profanity is unleashed on the world.

On cue my cousin emerges from an overgrown pathway with his head down and "guilty" clearly written across his forehead. All I desired was the truth and the incident would be forgotten but Matthew vowed innocence like a typical teenager when pressed on the issue. Sheepishly he stated Erin didn't wander down to his fishing hole, had no idea how Erin got injured and we both knew that was an outright lie so a barrage of questions and accusations were heaped upon him. With my disappointment made clear a call was placed to the vets office to inform them that I would be there shortly with Erin...Something tells me they were snickering when the conversation ended.

The bright yellow lure was quite an attraction for the vet's staff and folks in the waiting area...Guess it isn't everyday that a dog gets snagged by a fisherman. We were led to a small room where Erin was hoisted onto a stainless steel examination table for a closer look by Dr. H whom remarked that the hook would be out in a few minutes. An injection for pain plus a few snips was all it took to remove the embedded barb then he placed it in a medicine vial so I'd have a memento of the eventful day. Along the way he cracked a few jokes to lighten the mood which was helpful as I was stressed which was in contrast to Erin whom was happy-go-lucky as always.

Matthew saw the light with help from his mom and offered a tearful apology which was gladly accepted. The following day and many many days after we went fishing and thankfully something other than my girl was caught....It was an unfortunate incident but I'll always remember the day Erin got hooked.