*****
Tickle Box
Wiggles the Worm
Womack Lake was located at the back of a valley with hills on each side. It was a beautiful lake nestled down in the valley and bordered with giant evergreen trees. In the distance the sounds of the redwing blackbirds, the fluttering of the dragonfly’s wings and the rough voice of the bullfrogs as they splashed into the water could be heard all around. Fishermen from miles around went there to fish. Ah, yes, it was a fisherman’s paradise.
There was a little bait shop that sat by the pier. It was called Hook Line-n-Sinker. It was owned by a man named Hogsucker. He got his name, Hogsucker, from wearing a snatch hook on his cap. He was quite a character; he loved to play tricks on the fishermen and tell fish stories. However, he knew everything there was to know about fish and bait.
There was also the Fish’n Club, by the lake, where everyone liked to hang out after a long day of fishing. A young man named Simple Crappie came in quite often. Simple was a real fisherman; he came from a long line of top-notch fishermen. His daddy and his daddy’s daddy had fished there for years. They had received many trophies for their outstanding catches. There was even a picture of them hanging up in the Hook Line-n-Sinker Bait Shop with one of their prized catches! One day, Simple went to buy some bait at the Hook Line-n-Sinker.
“Good morning, sir,” greeted Simple.
“Good morning to you,” replied Hogsucker. “How may I help you?”
Hogsucker eyed him up and down. He thought to himself, a prize candidate to initiate into the club.
“Well, sir,” he said with a slight giggle, “I really don’t know,” he answered as he looked around at everything in the bait shop.
I believe I can have some fun with him, thought Hogsucker.
“Well, well, well,” mumbled Simple.
“Just give me a can of worms, sir.”
“That will be fifty cents,” replied Hogsucker.
Simple quickly flipped two quarters onto the counter.
“Thank you, sir,” he said as he walked away.
As he made his way down to the bank, he slipped and fell. His arms flew up which caused his rod and reel and the can of worms to go sailing through the air. He rolled down the bank and came to a sudden stop at the edge of the water. That was a close call, he said to himself. I am going to have to be more careful. Then he sort of snickered as he carefully looked around. I hope no one saw me, he thought to himself. He picked up his rod and reel, scooped up the worms and put them back into the can. There we go, he said to himself. I can’t do much without you little fellows.
He sat down on the bank and got his rod and reel ready to go. Slowly, he stood up and looked out across the water. He was looking for the right spot to cast his rod. He licked his finger and stuck it up in the air to check the direction of the wind. He eased down on his knees and looked across the water to check the flow of the ripples. Uh-huh” he said to himself as he stood back up. Finally, he was ready to fish.
He reached into the can and pulled out a worm. It was all slick and slimy. As it wiggled between his fingers, he tried to put it on his hook. He pushed, shoved, twisted, turned and poked, but the worm would not go on. Uh” he said as he scratched his head and then dropped the worm. Quickly, he reached down, picked it up, held it up to his eyes and stared at it. What kind of worm is this?” he mumbled to himself. About that time, the worm spit some tobacco juice right in his eye. Oh! Simple cried as he grabbed his eye with one hand and held the worm tight with the other. He rubbed his bloodshot eye, reached down and grabbed the can. With blurry vision he saw Wiggle Worm written on the side of the can. Wiggle worm, he laughed to himself. What kind of worm is that?” he chuckled.
Once again, Simple fought and fought with the worm. He tried everything he could think of to get that worm onto the hook. But, nothing would work. The harder Simple tried, the more determined he became. He had his reputation to maintain. He was a top-notch fisherman and he was not going to let some little wiggly worm keep him from fishing.
“I’m going to beat you, Wiggles, at your own game.”
Wiggles just laid back and smiled. Then Simple got an idea and hurriedly opened his tackle box.
“I’ll tape you onto that hook,” Simple snickered. “You’ll see who the boss is.”
He taped the worm to the hook with clear tap; it didn’t work. Then he tried masking tape. When that didn’t work, he tried duct tape. But, he couldn’t get the worm to stay on the hook. He tried gluing it on and that failed. He even tried to tie it on with his shoelaces. Unfortunately, none of his ideas worked.
“I have never seen anything like this in my life,” cried Simple. “What is your problem anyway?”
Wiggles just laid back and slightly giggled.
Simple looked up at Wiggles and said, “I am the fisherman and you are the worm. The worm goes on the hook to catch the fish that I take home to eat.”
Wiggles just shook his head back and forth and replied, “Not this worm. Not me. No, no, no!”
That just made Simple more upset. As his face turned red he shouted, “We’ll see about that. Yes, yes, yes!”
He tried fancy lures, jigger bugs, fake worms, spinners and even flies. However, none of them worked.
“I have never seen a worm so stubborn,” said Simple. “It must be one of those new thing-a-ma-gigs. They’re always coming up with something.”
“So, you want me on that hook, right,” Wiggles spoke up.
“Right,” replied Simple.
“So you can catch fish to take home and eat at my expense, right,” stated Wiggles.
“Right,” replied Simple.
“Now, this is the deal,” said Wiggles. “We do it my way or no way, right.”
“Wrong!” said Simple. “I mean, right, whatever it takes.”
“Right,” replied Wiggles, “whatever it takes.”
Slowly, Wiggles crawled up onto the hook.
“Now cast me out!” yelled Wiggles as he held on for life.
Anxiously, Simple grabbed his rod, slung it behind him and threw it out across the water. Plop it went when it hit the water. As the hook slowly sank deep into the water, Wiggles shivered with chills.
“This water is so cold,” Wiggles said as he slowly climbed up the line and onto the top of the floater. “Hey, man. This water is too cold,” cried Wiggles as he crawled across the line and back onto the tip of the rod.
“What now!” Simple screamed as he threw his rod down with big tears in his eyes.
“Now, now, now, Simple, let’s try it again. This time, cast me in a warmer spot.”
“Well, are you sure?” questioned Simple.
Every time he threw his line out across the water, Wiggles would crawl back up the line, skim across the line on top of the water, jump onto the rod, slide down the rod, jump into the can, and say it was too cold.
“Get real, worm,” said Simple.
“Get a life, Simple,” replied Wiggles. “Get a life!”
You talk about a frustrated fisherman. Simple was frustrated. He was about to pull his hair out.
“I’m not much on swimming today,” said Wiggles. “But I do enjoy lying out on the floater and catching a little sun.”
“You are not a sunbather!” yelled Simple. “You are a worm.”
“You’re not much of a fisherman yourself,” replied Wiggles. “Where’s your fish?”
Time and time again, Simple cast his line into the water. When Wiggles wasn’t swinging around and around on the line or hanging by his tail above the water he was doing chin-ups.
“I have never seen anything like this!” screamed Simple. “How in the world will I ever catch a fish with this silly worm?”
Unexpectedly, up out of the water like a flash, a fish sailed across the water and grabbed Wiggles. The fish dove deep into the water with Wiggles. Simple grabbed his pole and the fight was on. He jerk
ed and pulled. He yanked and yanked as he firmly planted his feet into the bank to keep the mighty fish from pulling him in. The pole was bowed in the middle and close to breaking. Splash went the fish into the water; over and over it rolled. Water was splashing everywhere. Suddenly, the fish turned and headed for the bank. Simple was relieved. His line gave and his rod straightened out. However, he was startled when the fish hurried upon the bank and spit Wiggles out.
“Phooey,” said the fish.
The fish spit again and jumped back into the lake.
“I don’t believe it,” said Simple as he rubbed his chin and eyed Wiggles. “Dang nab it!” yelled Simple as he threw his rod and reel down. “I can’t believe it. I haven’t had a bite all day and then when I do get one,” he cried, “I lose it.”
About that time, his feet slipped out from under him and he fell into the water. Splash! As Simple fought to stay afloat, Wiggles watched him from the bank.
“Help me! Help me!” cried Simple as he went down into the water.
Wiggles lay quietly on the bank and watched as Simple went down the second time. Simple sank for the third time and disappeared under the bubbles. Wiggles jumped into the water, quickly swam down to Simple and grabbed hold of him. Wiggles struggled to pull him out of the water and back onto the bank. Simple was out cold. Without hesitation, Wiggles climbed on top of him and started giving him CPR. After a few seconds, Simple moved his eyes and started coughing up water.
“That was a close call,” cried Simple. “Thank you, Wiggles, for helping me.”
“You’re welcome,” replied Wiggles. “You know, Simple, you’re not a bad guy after all.”
“Well, thanks, Wiggles,” said Simple. “You’re not a bad worm either. A little strange, but you’re okay.”
Simple gathered his things, placed Wiggles back into the can and headed for the bait shop.
“Here you go, Hogsucker. I believe this belongs to you,” said Simple as he placed the can upon the counter.
“Have a good workout?” asked Hogsucker.
“Yes, I did,” replied Simple. “The next time I’m going to play golf instead,” he said as he walked away still coughing up water.
Hogsucker turned and winked at Wiggles; Wiggles winked at Hogsucker as they both laughed, “Hahahahaha. “
“That’s the big one that got away,” giggled Hogsucker.