Author Description

He was an eight year old kid who loved to fish. Dad taught him the skills and together they fished the emerald waters of the bay that emptied into the Gulf of Mexico. When visiting his grandparents he fished with Pop in the inland canals that weave through the white sandy islands that parallel the coast of that great sea. The kid and Dad fished from their boat. Pop and he fished from a wooden pier that made up a local launch. That is where he met the Mexican boy in the wheel chair. The boy had come from his town in Mexico in hopes of finding an American doctor that would be able to treat his illness. A successful treatment could allow the boy to walk again. After seeing the doctor, it was determined that with the treatment there is a very high chance that the Mexican boy would walk again. But there was a problem. The Mexican boy's family could not afford the treatment. They had to return to their town in Mexico; abandoning any hope of their son ever walking. As soon as the kid learned of this problem, he knew he had to do something for his Mexican friend. He devised a plan to get the needed money. He would enter a Blue Marlin fishing tournament where the prize money awarded to the boat with the largest fish was huge. The kid knew he would have to talk the tournament director, as well as Dad, into agreeing to allow them to fish. The kid just knew he and Dad could win. With a little guidance from Pop, the kid and Dad entered the tournament. Was their boat too small to handle the unpredictable weather and waves of the Gulf of Mexico? Was it too small to go out far enough to where the really big fish are? Was it too small to land a fish that would be large enough to win the tournament; and get it back to the weigh-in? The kid believed it would all work out and he will be able to help his friend. Did it and did he?