Sheila Robins 11yo 63 — A Day With Dad And Uncle Tom By

By 6:00 AM, we were on the highway. Uncle Tom was driving, drinking black coffee from a metal thermos that smelled like roasted beans and old wood. Dad was in the passenger seat, map in hand, even though he knew the way by heart. I sat in the back with the tackle boxes, the smell of rubber worms, and a cooler full of turkey sandwiches. The radio played old country songs, and both of them sang along off-key. I couldn't help but laugh. It is funny how grown-ups act like kids when they get away from their jobs. The Big Catch (Almost)

"Morning, shortstuff," Uncle Tom boomed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You ready to catch the biggest trout in the creek today, or are you going to let the old men do all the heavy lifting?"

The day emphasizes living in the moment, appreciating the "now." Conclusion a day with dad and uncle tom by sheila robins 11yo 63

I give this day five stars and one blue slushie stain on my shirt.

Dad held the back of my life jacket so I wouldn't pull myself into the water. It was a tough fight, and my arms felt like jelly, but after a minute of intense reeling, a beautiful, shimmering fish broke the surface. Uncle Tom scooped it up in the net. It wasn't a record-breaker, but it was a decent-sized yellow perch. Dad took a picture of me holding it, my smile so wide you could see my missing molar. We decided to release it back into the water, watching it swim away with a quick slap of its tail. By 6:00 AM, we were on the highway

We started the day early, with a yummy breakfast at home. Dad made pancakes and Uncle Tom made scrambled eggs. I love it when they cook together - they always make me laugh. After breakfast, we decided to go on a hike in the nearby woods.

Dad and Uncle Tom were brothers, but they couldn't have been more different. Dad was quiet, with hands calloused from the garden and a steady way of moving. Uncle Tom was like a whirlwind. He wore a sharp fedora, drove a shiny blue sedan that smelled like peppermint and expensive tobacco, and always had a joke ready to tell. When they were together, they turned back into boys, laughing about things that happened twenty years ago. The plan for the day was simple: we were going to the lake. I sat in the back with the tackle

Others suggest she married, changed her name, and her early writing was forgotten in a shoebox under a bed, only recently discovered by a grandchild who posted a photo of the yellowed manuscript online.