Every sawed-off sportsman knows when they have encountered another sawed-off sportsman. The telltale sign is they are using an item outside of it’s manufacturer’s intended design. As Shaving #1, I knew immediately when I and my sawed-off sportsman father crossed paths with “Willy” who was fishing for crabs in Saint Marks swamp using fish heads on a rope. Overall it was an effective procedure, catching 3 - 4 crabs with each “cast” (dropping the fish head into the water); however, it had caught the attention of another inhabitant of the swamp. An 8 foot American Alligator was “hovering” about 20 feet away – and watching.
Of course when sawed-off sportsmen cross paths they immediately go into what they’re doing, what they’re using, and how they came up with the idea. As I am merely a shaving and not personally sawed-off or a sportsmen, I cared little for the conversation and directed my attention to the swamp and specifically the alligator. Then the gator submerged. I sounded the alarm (“Hey, hey he’s under”), the sawed-offs took a look around, and the gator emerged about 5 feet from where he’d been. Not close, but still watching.
The sawed-offs went back to their conversation. All the while Willy is “reeling in” his line, picking off the crabs, checking the fish heads, re-“casting”, and repeating. Again, the gator submerged, again I sounded the alarm, again the sawed-offs took a look around, this time they decided the gator had gotten bored and moved on. I’d been in the field too long to turn my back on the swamp, but I directed my attention to the sawed-offs. As I’m listening to them regale one another with their stories – comparing scars as it were – Willy continues to reel in his line.
This time more than crabs come out of the water. The gator is rising silently out of the water and headed for Willy’s feet. Not knowing what else to do I start to scream like my hair is on fire. Mostly out of annoyance, the sawed-offs look at me and then to where I’m pointing – right at their feet. Both sawed-offs yelp and fall back. Ironically, Willy’s chosen method of escape is the crab-crawl backwards to safety. Crabs, fish heads, and rope abandoned Willy escapes.
Never take your eyes off the swamp.
MS-L
2/11/2007
