Teach a man to fish @ Oistins
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” is a quote from the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, founder of Taoism.Sep 12, 2010
During my last trip to Barbados in the fall of 2017, I decided to use that trip as a sabbatical to regenerate, renew, and fish. My goal was to fish regularly, catch and eat fresh fish. With that goal in mind, I packed my best collapsible rod and enough fishing tackle to last me through my visit. I only fished three times.
It was a beautiful evening in Oistins and my third and final time to fish and I intended to catch the big one. I camped out on the beach near the bus station for about an hour before giving up on that location. The schoolchildren were waiting for transportation and were quite noisy, so I blamed them for scaring away the fish. I was not about to accept accountability that I was a horrible fisherman.
However, I was determined to catch the big one on this my last outing, so I packed up and headed to the pier to cast into the deep water. I just knew this was going to be the spot that would make me feel like Peter after Jesus told him to cast the net on the other side of the boat.
Once I arrived at the deep end of the pier, ignoring all the signs that said no fishing, I quickly set up my expensive gear to catch the big one. On the far end of the pier, a young man was already fishing, and there was another young man sleeping between the pumphouse and the edge of the pier.I fished until sunset, but the fish seemed to ignore my fishing prowess, and I disappointingly packed up.
As I was getting ready to leave, the sleeping young man stirred and I asked the young man if he was not afraid to sleep at such a dangerous place and why would he not go home. He told me he was sleeping on the streets since he was 14 years old when his mother kicked him out of the house. What is your name and how long ago was that I queried the young man? My name is Gregg, he said, and it has been three years now.
That is awful I responded. Why would your mother do such a thing, I questioned. Gregg told me a bit about his story. My mother has five children with five different men. I have four older sisters with good fathers, prominent men in the island who helped my mother with them. However, my mother said I was like my father and I reminded her of him. She said that he was no good, and I was like my father.
That is an interesting story I told him. So what are your plans for your life, I asked? He continued his story by telling me how he became an alcoholic at fourteen and drank to fall asleep each night. I am very good at electronics, and I had a vision that someday I would work for Microsoft. That is great I said and encouraged him to keep his dream alive.
Gregg was sitting up and staring distantly at the ocean as the evening sun slowly sank below the horizon. It was peaceful and quiet. Gregg, I said, tell me what is going through your mind this moment. He looked at me with a deep sadness and shared more about his feelings. Do you remember the young guy who was here fishing next to you? Yes, I said. He is my best friend, but I never told him how I feel. Sometimes I just feel like jumping off this pier and killing myself. I could not tell if he meant what he said or if he was crying out for help.
Gregg, do you have an interim plan, I asked? Yes, he answered. One of the regular fishermen promised to take me on as an apprentice fisherman and take me out on his boat. I became excited at the prospect that he wanted to be a fisherman and I had the tools to help. I immediately packed up my fishing gear and presented it to him. Gregg, promise that you will use this equipment to launch your fishing career and that you will not sell the equipment for a quick gain. He promised he would cherish the gear and would learn how to fish. Gregg and I walked back to shore, and I treated him to a meal at the fish market and bade him farewell.
One week later I decided to go back to the pier to see how Gregg was progressing with his new career. He was not at the pier. I questioned the attendant at the pumphouse on his whereabouts. The attendant told me that he does not come around anymore. She said he drowned while fishing and a stranger pulled him out and revived him. I was distraught at the possibility and set off to find Gregg.
I found Gregg back on shore with some friends, having a drink and smoking a joint. I was a bit disappointed because he had previously shared that he was sober and had given up drinking. However, I was more interested in his new story. He said I lost the fishing rod.
I was on the pier fishing one day, and I caught a big one. He seemed excited for a moment. Then he reflected and went on to tell me that as he was trying to pull up the big fish, he slipped off the deep end of the pier and sank to the bottom. I came up three times and that last time I just went down and sank to the bottom. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and someone pulled me out. They worked on me and revived me.
Gregg further told me that since the incident he could not sleep at night and he was sorry he lost the rod. I will go back sometime and try to find it he assured me. I told him reassuringly not to worry about it and that I was happy he was alive. However, then I asked him, what was preventing you from climbing out? He answered I can’t swim.
I simply said goodbye Gregg and walked away.
Dr. Stan Brooks