Trout, roots,
and rattles.
Jon and A.J. were talking about trout fishing in West Virginia. A mountain stream, a couple of rods, and a peaceful day outdoors. That was the entire proposal until rattlesnakes and ginseng entered the conversation. Suddenly, a fishing trip had become an Appalachian expedition.
Jon took the trout department. A.J. kept an eye on the forest floor, where every interesting plant deserved a closer look and every suspicious rustle deserved a little more distance. The ginseng had them comparing leaves. The rattlesnake had them agreeing that binoculars were an excellent invention.
A trout broke the surface just as Jon announced he had everything under control. A.J. pointed out that he was now watching the fish, the roots, and the rocks with three different levels of confidence. The snake remained on its rock, the ginseng remained in the woods, and the fishing story grew several inches before they reached the truck.
They set out to find trout, rattlesnakes, and ginseng. They came back with muddy boots, an impressive collection of stories, and a new definition of “just going fishing.”