Lucas - The "Big Game" Angler

Was looking at some of my old pictures and chanced upon one brought back fanstatic memories. It was in 2008 where I decided to spend some alone time with Lucas going off to Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. Evan was with Dorcas in Myanmar so I decided to take this opportunity to be with Lucas.

We started off to Malacca staying (where else) at the Equatorial Hotel. We ate, walked around, toured, went swimming and it was such a fun time for both of us.

We went off the next day to KL staying at the Time Square Berjaya Hotel. Unfortunately, there was such a long jam that we only got to the hotel at almost 5 pm! A 5 hour jouney which was suppose to be only 2 hours. We checked into our room, a junior suite, and Lucas was one happy camper.

We decided to visit the arcade and we saw this interesting video fishing game. There was actually a rod and multiplier reel attached to the game and what it did was to catch different huge fishes from Dorados, snappers and even the king of pelagics, the Blue Marlin!

I saw my son trying to bringing in fishes and it was exciting. I was imagining that one day, he would be trolling for the largest fishes round the world. He would make his dad proud.

I guess that there are different sorts of fishing - reel and rod or video game in this case. Either way, it was fantastic, just looking him struggle against the "huge" fishes on the screen and seeing the rod bend and the reel drag screaming away. Set my adrenaline pumping. I realy hope that Lucas will take up fishing seriously one day and my dream is to take both Evan and Lucas fishing for the Pacific King salmon off Puget Sound with Uncle Kenny. Now that would be something!!

Boys will be Boys

Drove Lucas to school today. I asked him why he did not want to follow me fishing last Saturday. He simply said that he rather fish during the school holidays! Not understanding his logic, I simply said that it was alright.

He's growing up and I know that I have to take whatever time I have with him before he reaches the teens. Evan right now is testing the boundaries and his friends are a significant influence on him. So fishing or for that matter,any other activity that I do with them, will take on a whole different perspective. Meaning this - it is my bonding time with them.

If fishing takes away this time and does not give me the thing I want with them, than I prefer to stop fishing and do something they like. They love guns. We were down at the Singapore Discovery Centre and they had a great time with the SAR21 shooting gallery. Whilst Lucas is a "sniper" by nature and deliberate in his marksmanship, Evan tends to be a "Rambo" in having a high rate of fire. Either way, it's just suits their nature to be who they really are.

So is it fishing or going shooting? Either way I'm okay as long as the boys and I are enjoying each other's company and having a good time at the same time.

God is Good.....All the Time

Fishing With Evan - 10 Apr 10

Was out with the family this morning. Like any typical Singaporean family, our breakfast was not exactly the most healthy. Went to a good prata shop at Upper Thomson Road and all of us ate, laughed and generally had a good time.

After 4 pratas (actually they weren't very big but CD sized ones), I decided to go fishing. Only Evan wanted to go and so off we went. I decided to go to Kyoto pond at Farmway 3. Thank God that I had passed my driver's license (after 30 years but that's another post) cause it would had been impossible to get a cab in or out of this locale cause the location is really "ulu" meaning that it in the boonies!

Just driving and listening to Evan was good enough. During the drive, we spoke about many things - his time at school, the quarrels and fights with his friends (fight-make-up-friend again), and I even had the opportunity to pray with and for him. My boy is growing up and I remembered that I once cradled this 3.5kg baby in my arms way back on 22 Dec 1998. This baby is now growing into a teenager with both angst and potential.

Fishing was fun especially with my son. We spoke more and I realised that the fishing was really incidental. Evan just wanted to spend time with me and I with him. The end result was 5 fishes but really if we caught nothing, it would been just as fun spending time with my flesh and blood.

We got back at about 5 pm, cleaned up, got Lucas and went to Leisure Park for dinner with Mum. I had my "alone" time with Lucas as he sat with me on the way back in my car whilst Evan was with Mum in her car. Lucas and I were just comfortable with each other in the car and we had a good chat. Was a really good time of just being together. After the stresses of the previous week with the different tragedies, it was a blessed time to spend quality and quantity time with the boys. Looking forward to the next weekend with them again.

RIP

Have not been fishing with the boys for quite some time. Just got back from the Holy Land and was planning ot do some fishing with them. However, just last Thurs, got a text from my wife that my old fishing chum had suddenly passed away. He was only 46. The last time we met was on 7 Mar and we were planning to go long-line fishing. I just could not believe what I read and tears came forth.

I went to the home where he was laid. Here was my friend. The same friend that was with me when I just born again into Christ. We were always hanging out going to different services and fishing. He was there where we saw a pod of dolphins and when I caught my 6kg cobia off Pulau Tekong on a sampan. We also laid long-lines off Changi Yacht Club and there we caught huge conger eels and groupers. We even fished off Pulau Pangkor in Perak and he was laughing at me for my constant chumming of the water with my seasicked stomach! He was a boisterous , larger-than-life generous man.

My mind screamed out "Why" did it happen to him? I did not know and over the last couple of days, it was tough. I had my Pastor pray for me and the peace of God came upon me. I know that my friend is with Lord as I will be one day and we will meet again.

Nothing prepares you for death. It is painful and sudden but in Christ, we know that where we are heading for. But one thing for sure, his memory lives on in my heart for he was a good friend of mine and I will miss him.

When I fish these days, I sometime think that my friend is fishing next to me with his loud laughter and comments - that's just him! I loved him as a brother. Somehow, fishing will never be quite the same again but one day, we will meet again on the other side and I read that there are rivers there so that means only one thing.....