Captain Hook in Head Does it Again!

August 2, 2024

My father in law had always been a city man. The hustle and bustle of urban life was his comfort zone, and he rarely ventured into the world of nature.

But ever since we had moved to the north and embraced life by the lake, he felt a growing curiosity about this new lifestyle. So, one sunny Friday morning, he decided it was time to familiarize himself with the boat that was purchased last year.

The boat, gleaming in the sunlight, was tied up at the dock. He approached it with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

Annette, had just gone to dock our pontoon and I went out to venture with my son and his family.

As I was leaving I could see the determined look that he had as he climbed aboard, feeling the boat gently rock beneath him.

He started by inspecting the boat's various compartments and equipment. As he opened up compartments he had noticed some rusty lures. He reached into his tackle box and grabbed a small tin to store the rusty lures. As he was putting the tin back into the box he noticed his favourite lure in the top tray of his tackle box as he went to move it into another place the lure fell through a small hole in the tackle box. In an attempt to push the lure through the hole the lure got stuck in his finger, that’s when he felt a sharp, searing pain.

Looking down, he saw the lure's hook embedded deeply in his finger. Panic surged through him as he realized he had no idea how to remove it safely.

The pain was intense, and he could feel his pulse throbbing around the embedded hook.

"Joan!" he called out, trying to keep his voice steady.

My mother in law, who had been inside the house, came rushing out at the sound of his voice. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the lure dangling from his finger. Without wasting a moment, she tried to help him pull the lure out, and it just went in deeper.

At that moment Annette arrived with her friend George who tried to pull the lure but to no avail. Off to the hospital it was.

The drive to the hospital was quiet at the thought of what he had done.

Annette had had nothing to eat by this time and had to get ready for two gigs, decided to call me. We ended our sightseeing early and I came to relieve her.

There was a waiting period at the hospital, and I was told by him that we had three people ahead of us.

When Evan the nurse, a kind man with a reassuring smile, examined the injury and explained how he was going to remove it, I thought mmm sounds easy enough for you! He set to work. With careful precision, he removed the hook, cleaned the wound, and gave him a tetanus shot.

He let out a sigh of relief, lying back on the hospital bed.

“Not exactly what I had in mind, spending an afternoon at the hospital.” But I guess it's all part of the learning process."

As we left the hospital, he felt a strange sense of accomplishment despite the mishap. He had stepped out of his comfort zone and survived to tell the tale a second time.

His bandaged finger was a reminder of his adventure, but it didn't dampen his spirits. Instead, it made him appreciate the unpredictable beauty of life in the north – and the value of family support during unexpected moments of chaos.