And we talked about fishing tarpon in the Keys, and what a blast they are to catch on a fly. "Do it all winter long". Then he says, I sure am getting tired of this f**king tree behind me, just as his rig shoots up in to the heart of the limb, at mach 4 speed. All morning long he's being screwing with danger, and finally that dam tree has his hook in it's grasp. It's about time, because it hoses me every time I fish under it. I have enough of my flies in that tree to supply Kaufmans Streamborn. Everyone has to pay their dues.

"No big ass deal" he says to me as he grasps the green tree limb that is almost out of reach. "I'll just pull this son of a b*tch down, and break it off, after I get my hook" he states as he looks at me with a [Bleeeeep!] eating grin.

He now has the limb in his grasp, and stealthily removes his hook from a decent sized twig. He pulls a little harder on the limb to get more of the branch, turns his wrist hard to break the limb, then releases it to the sky like a rocket headed for the moon. Wow, there is another hook in that limb, and it found the end of his "bird flicking" finger. He too has now been launched in to space. He resembles a Sioux warrior in the middle of the Sun Dance. He is making every effort to point that finger as high in the sky as he can, because that tree ain't going to stop pulling till it rips his finger off.

Holy [Bleeeeep!], Jesus,Mary and Joseph he yells. Oh my god. I had no idea that this man was such a Christian until the tree got his finger. He is now on his eeency beency toe, trying to take evry bit of pressure off that throbbing finger that he can. I mean, this dude is balancing on his toe nails. "Get your a*s over here and help", he yells to his friend.

I'm coming states his lifelong companion, as he goes to his rescue at break neck speed with a 5 foot long limb. " I'll have you off in a minute' says his buddy, as he begins to thrash furiously at the hook, hand and limb. Prayers begin again, followed by f***ing stop, as he friend writhes in agony. Not able to look at this grotesque scene any more, I begin to pray "Oh god help this guy out", I can't take this anymore, and have to turn my head to keep from blowing chow. By divine intervention, the green limb snaps, and frees it's prisoner. His crumpled body falls to the ground in agony, then he crawls to a big rock and says "jesus, that hurt". I don't think Jesus had anything to do with it hurting, but after what he went through for all of us, I think he pitied that guy hanging in the tree by his "bird flicking finger". Peace