"All about ducks, and strangers"

Ahhh! Sunday morning! No work pressures! No demanding projects with deadlines that have already passed! I even managed to sneak in a couple hours of fishing this morning, even if it was by myself, or at least it started out that way, until a 7 year old boy named Josh came riding up to the dock on his bicycle with his fishing pole hanging across the handlebars. "Are they biting Mister"?, he screamed to me in a noise decibel level that would rival an F-16 fighter jet during take-off. "Not anymore" I said, in the half-hearted way that one does upon realizing that the peaceful serenity of the early morning would now be gone. Josh, who apparently could easily see that I wanted to be alone, chose to fish off of the dock right beside me. "What's your name"?, he asked. "Rany", I replied. "What"? "Rany", I said again, realizing that I've always had to state my name two or three times and even spell it to most new people I meet. "Randy"? Josh insisted. "Rany", I again said. "My folks were very poor when I was a baby, and we didn't have enough money to buy the "d". "What's your name, kid"? "Josh", he replied while poking several kernels of corn onto a hook, "What are you using for bait", he asked. "A doughball" I replied. "A doughball"? "You're never gonna catch a fish on that"! "I don't really want to catch a fish", I said. "Then why'd ya come fishing", he said. I immediately knew that I was going to be ill-equipped to do battle with this type of common-sense thinking, so I made a feeble excuse about just wanting to sit and relax, and enjoy the peaceful morning by watching the ducks swim and thinking about life in general. "How old are you", I asked? "7, and my folks let me come here anytime I want to", he replied. "I'm not surprised", I said. "So what's so special about watching the ducks", he said. "Because, outside of the feathers and the fact that ducks mate for life, they're pretty much like humans", I said. "You mean those two ducks are married"?, Josh asked. "Isn't it obvious", I said. "Look how the female keeps quacking at the male, swimming behind him as he goes along somewhat "defiantly" on the path that he chooses"! "What do you think she's saying ", he asked. "I don't really know, kid, maybe they're arguing over finances or something". "Maybe he was out all night with his friends, and she is demanding answers". "What do ducks ever do that would take all night with friends"? "I don't know kid, maybe discuss "billing" information or something". "Your bobber is under kid, reel him in"! At this point, Josh frantically reels in his fish, which is almost big enough to be used as bait for a fish big enough to make a small sandwich at your local "Long John Silvers", while maintaining the right to not be near as tasty. Josh "landed" his fish, took him off the hook, and then threw him back into the water. When he was poking yet more corn kernels onto his fish hook to try again, I realized that we probably had alot in common, but I still don't know what. "Why did you throw him back"?, I asked. "I never keep"em", he replied, "I just like catching them"! "Then why'd ya come fishing"?, I taunted, in order to get back at him for his "duck" comments. "Because it's relaxing, and I can make as much noise as I want to, and nobody will hear me cause they're still asleep"! "Good plan", I say, while reeling in my line. I have to go home now. I also have to explain to my loving wife, who is probably awake by now, just where I've been for the last 2 hours, in order to keep her from following me around the house, "quacking" at me. I've decided that I like my life just "as it is". I love my wife, kids, grand-kids, and parents. Sometimes, learning experiences have to be shared by "children" of all ages. Thanks, Josh, for our talk this morning, when I really wanted to be alone. God bless you, my un-ruly little friend. I hope I see you again when I have the grand-kids fishing with me. Sometimes the Good Lord's Angels work in very mysterious ways!