"Far MORE, than words can say.............."

FAOL Community Sound Off
1

Yeah, it DOES actually happen, contrary to popular belief… “flybinder’s left speechless”.
In fact, the last time I was, is when I saw that picture of Ohio Tuber in his cowboy boots and red Speedo, but we won’t go there, for the sake of you with weak stomachs.
However, in the mail, today I was again “left speechless”, when opening an envelope sent to me by Julia-Oven God-Photdough Guru-Valencic.
Inside, was an FAOL hat, two, very strange pieces of “hat lighting” equipment and several pins adorning the hat.

But, this was NOT, your “run of the mill, bought from HRH Betty, FAOL hat”.
This one, was signed by so many of my friends, here on FAOL I haven’t counted them all yet,(but I HAVE, read each and every one of them already!)/

I was planning on attending the MIFI, this year. Many plans had been made in advance and things were laid out for the trip down to the nth degree. But, as luck would have it, and my current illness problems changed, I had to cancel the trip a few days before scheduled departure.

Now, this hat arrives, with the signatures written all over it, of those I was planning on, and dying to meet, had I made the trip.
If I dare list all the names that are on this hat, and yet forget JUST ONE, I’d forever feel terrible for accidentally omitting that one person, so since they know who they are, I’ll leave it at that.

But, JC, Lady Fisher, HRH Betty, a weird Ohioian and others, have made this hat and above all, the meaning behind this hat, the reason I’m left a bit more than speechless.

I fish, very frequently with my friend and next door neighbor, Henry Hoffman. I’ve “broken bread” with Lee and Joan Wulff. John Geirach personally just sent me a copy of his latest book, “Fool’s Paradise”. Dave Hughes is a fellow club member of mine, and I just had lunch with Alec Jackson, last week.
So? Why mention this? Those that know me, KNOW that I don’t hold ANY person in this sport above any other. I don’t have any “heroes” or “look up tos”. In 30+ years of fly fishing I’ve YET to meet my first “expert” in fly fishing. I’m “more impressed”, by anyone that can walk and chew gum at the same time, than I’ve ever been with someone that can throw an entire fly line. “A Proffesional Fly Fisher” I feel only has a “Proffesional Ego”, nothing more.
But, to me, getting this hat… the signatures that are on it and the REASON it was sent to me, at all… makes it a far, far, greater treasure to me, a more lasting memory of friends that I’ve acquired in this sport, than all of those, listed above, combined.

I thank, each and every person that signed the hat. I thank every one of you, that didn’t attend the fishin,who didn’t sign the hat, who I stiil call “my friend” on the same level.

And, with that, since I’m supposed to be “Speechless”, I’ll shut up now.

2

Wow! That is outstanding!

3

Paul,
You have earned our love and respect & the HAT!
Doug

4

Just wish I could have been there to sign it myself.
All the best from NZ
Mike.

5

Just because we love you!! :stuck_out_tongue:

6

Yes, those of us “down under” always sign hats with invisible ink. Trust me, we’re all there (in spirit anyway)!

And I must say, if that is speechless, it must be hard to get a word in edge-wise when you’re feeling “chatty!” :slight_smile:

  • Jeff
7

Paul,
You’ve EARNED the love and respect of each and every one of the members of FAOL.
It’s not what you do, but who you are, that touches each of us.
We appreciate your spirit, your willingness, and the fact that you are the same,
true gentleman to all and sundry.
I wish I had been able to add my paltry bit to the thanks represented by that hat.

Kirk

8

Paul,
I am also sorry I had to leave early & wasn’t able to sign it. Maybe in place of that, I really WILL send you a picture of me in those boots…believe me, it will NOT be your average, everyday, good ol’ COWBOY picture!
Mikey

9

Paul;
Mssr’s Danials, Dickle, Meyer’s, et all were unable to sign the hat but took part in my siginature!:wink:

10

Paul,

It’s midnight here in the Island Nation, and I just returned from working the first night of our four-day church festival, and wondered all day if the hat had finally made it to the left coast. I’m glad it did, along with the brim lights for your hat. I’m sure you will believe me when I say that everyone was waiting in line for an opportunity to sign the hat, so that you would know we felt you were with us in spirit throughout the week. You were truly missed, and each day the conversations would turn to talking about you and your eccentric writings while your meds were on or off. You never fail to put a smile on our faces, and are an inspiration to us all.

All kidding aside, you were truly missed and I felt this small gesture would let you know that we really care about you.

Now, it’s up to you to proudly wear that hat, and hopefully wear it out whilst on your fishing trips. When someone asks about it, you can tell them that you REALLY do have friends from across the nation and Canada that would take the time to send their best regards to a guy most of us have never met in person.

Joe

11

Deer Mr. Byflinder er… um…ah… make that … Flybinder.

I have to take umbrage with your assertion that there are no expert fly fishermen. They is experts and I are one of dem my self.
You have to keep in mind that whilst on the stream or lake in an actual fishing sit-yee-aye-shun I take great care to look like a bumbling idiot swinging a stick with a string on it. Keep in mind that this is only an act. If my true prowess and piscatorial splendor were to leak out even just the tiniest bit, the adoring crowds would line the banks for a glimpse at the purest per fect shun that only an expert can perform. As that other fisherman who can also walk upon the waters will tell you. Performing miracles can get you in deep water so to speak. Nay nay my confused friend It is the perfect ones such as I that prefer to stay in the background lest the very streams we frequent become saturated with the toe-jam of tens of thousands of adoring fans. Thus making the very denizens of the deep we seek, hors de combat as it were. Laid low by homosapien feetus pollutus.
Better to shun the limelight so as to spare them this grizzly fate, don’t ya think.

I leave you now with these thoughts.

Expert = X is the unknown quantity
Spurt = Just a drip under pressure.

Thus I truly am an ex-spert fly fisherman.

I sure wish I could have been there to sign the Hat… or wait!
Perhaps I was there to sign the Hat… did you hold it up to a beeswax candle? Huh? did ya?
Cause Hats signed with the wax taken from the nose hairs of a female Himalayan crested goat will look invisible to the naked eye till Heated by a sacred match and the smoke from that rarest of waxes hits them at just the right temperature. Yes my friend there are 100s maybe thousands of invisible signatures on that hat. True Some were just from passers by doodling idly to while away a summers day. Security at the fish in being what it was, what with the copious libations circling the campfire. However most siggys are from your true friends just wishing to remain anonymous in light of who the recipient was going to be.
No sense letting regular people know your a buddy of a weirdo if ya don’t have to huh?

We sure missed you at the Central Washington Fish in. Which I understand you missed because no one told you it was Washington State and not the Nations capitol where it was being held. Thin excuse my friend , very thin excuse.

Be warned that the penalty for missing next years CWFI. ( the state not the city ) is a thousand lashes with a wet noodle. Applied to the soles of the feet this will tickle you into fits of maniacal laughter. How anyone would notice the difference is beyond me however.

12

It is honestly “eerie”, (unless one takes the drugs, I’m forced to take, anyway), that all the heart felt comments above are so close to the thoughts I had of my friends when I opened the envelope today and saw the hat and the signatures it contained.
It’s now, resting here, in my tying room in a place of honor on my tying table. I’ve read and re-read the signatures several times each.
Linda, has also read them all, and as she muttered as she read… “That’s the sweetest, nicest, thing your friends could have done, what fantastic people!” I couldn’t agree more. I, again, have to thank everyone. EVERY ONE that signed the hat, and EVERY ONE that didn’t sign the hat and were not even in Michigan at the fish in, but who I call a friend, here on this site.

However, I NOW… come to post “NUMBER ELEVEN”, on this thread… (That’s “#11” for you Ohioans that have trouble reading multi-syllable words).
After reading this particular post I wish to remind everyone from this point, forward, that the drugs I MUST TAKE, obviously are mere “aspirins in disguise”, compared to what the Canadians evidently partake in… for mere “recreational enjoyment”.
Joe, mentioned something about my “intervals on and off”, my cancer pain medications and the way I sometimes will post, because of them. And, he’s right… they can, and do, often “effect things”,
But, my dear friend “GnuBeeFlyer”, has shown what a dose of “Penticton Gold” can do to one’s otherwise brilliant and highly intelligent writing format and mind. I hadn’t laughed that much in days, after reading through his post! Well, done, GnuBee, well done! (And, thank you, for not calling me “Your little Parsnip”).