I do, but i dont.

Growing up as a teenager in the suburbs of Adelaide in the late 60s was a great time in my life. You went to School, played sport, hung around with your mates, and generally had a great time, but as the years went by things changed. I got mixed up with the wrong crowd, and my life went from being a happy-go-lucky lad, to a young boy in trouble and on the wrong side of the law.

THE DAY MY LIFE CHANGED.

One day I was playing around with my Air Rifle shooting at birds, amongst other things ( It was nothing to go around shooting street lights out), when I chased a large parrot into a bush over in the front yard of a house up the street. Not thinking I fired a shot, and heard an almighty scream. Little did I know there was an elderly lady whom I knew gardening behind the bush . I ran off thinking I had killed her !! Being scared, I didn't know what to do, so I hid in my backyard for what seemed an eternity, all the while wondering what have you done you idiot, and hoping that I hadn't killed her and that she was alright.

After a couple of long hours went by I couldn't stand it any longer, and I decided to go and see if she was alright and as I was walking down my driveway a cop car pulled up. I immediately thought that's it I'm off to jail, and started to panic, my heart was racing and my mind was working overtime.

As the two police officers got out, I said I know why your here, and yes it was me. One of the officers said are you Barry? and quickly said No ! I'm Mark , well were here to see Barry not you.( Barry was my neighbour ) It turned out they were looking for him on another matter and they weren't here to take me away. As the police went next door I happened to look up the street, and to my surprise I could see the elderly woman still pottering around in her garden. Within seconds I realised that I had not shot her and that I was going to get away with what I had done, but boy was I wrong !

Later that evening there was a knock on our front door, and Dad answered it. I could hear voices and instantly recognised the elderly woman's husband, who was telling Dad about the close call his wife had this afternoon with me (she had seen me ). Instead of calling the police, they had decided to come over and talk to me, and see if I would like to go Fishing with them on the weekend as a way of showing me that there was more to Life than always getting into trouble.

A NEW CHAPTER IN MY LIFE

After they had left I thought that my Dad was going to go nuts at me , but he didn't and just said that it was up to me, and that I had to go around to their house and help them out in their garden tomorrow. On doing so the next day after pulling up what seemed a million weeds, the elderly man, who's name was Norm gave me my first fishing rod (one that I cherished), and I was blown away. After doing what I had done, how could two people who didn't really know me, be so kind ?

The weekend had arrived and I was excited and curious as I had never really been fishing before, I had watched people try to catch fish in the river near our home, but that was it.I didn't even know where the hell we were going but it took forever to get there, but when we finally arrived and I got out of the car I couldn't believe how beautiful our coastline was. Growing up in the city I had never been anywhere like it before and I was overawed. After getting all the fishing gear out of the car we walked out onto the jetty, and Norm helped me rig up my line. After a few failed attempts at casting I finally got the hang of it, and within minutes I was reeling in my first fish!! As I was pulling that fish in something in me changed...and I was hooked. We caught heaps that day, and I will Never forget it.

On the way home that night I couldn't stop thinking about how my stupidity had led me to having one of the best days of my life, and how things were going to change now for the better. Little did I know that fishing would play a huge part in my life, and every now and then I think,... do I regret what I did ??

I DO , BUT I DONT.

Regards Fawlty.