Hot Rods!

By Jack Elliott
Contributor

I arrived at the Bakery a little late on my first day back in Rainy. As usual the debating table was crowded, but I managed to elbow my way in without spilling too much of my first cup of high test. The conversation was in full swing as I tried to catch the drift of the topic.
“Geez, Elliott careful with that coffee! How come you’re back so soon? Don’t you know it’s still winter? How come you’re limping?” spouted Pickle as he wiped the coffee splatters off his sleeve.
“Took a tumble on the ice, coming down the street,” I complained, wincing and fruitlessly trolling for a little sympathy.
“Yeah, so did Moose. He was lying in the middle of the road down by the clinic. You old farts should be more careful,” commented Pickle downing half his cup of coffee in one long slurp.
“Did not fall! I was making snow angels,” protested Moose more than a little offended at the reference to his aging physique but still quick with a comeback.
“… and besides you have to keep the rod rotating at the right speed or the epoxy will tear up and you’ll have a weak spot,” continued Striker never pausing in his narrative and not to be interrupted by any johnny-come-lately.
“What’s he talking about?” I quizzed Pickle, not wanting to offer my wisdom on the subject until I knew enough to be dangerous.
“We’re building fishing rods. We’ve all gone back to school and we’re well into the project,” explained Pickle as he held out his cup for his 4th refill.
“Two more classes and we have to turn in our projects and the Runt is way behind as he’s feeling poorly,” he added as he picked up a contraption Scrounger had laid on the table. I couldn’t help but ask what it was for.
“It’s for wrapping thread around the eyelets on the rod. You have to keep the tension on the thread just right so we stole some parts off the Missus’s sewing machine,” cut in one wag who shall remain anonymous- protecting the guilty.
“You see you clamp the whole thing on the dining room table and turn the rod with the rotisserie motor off the barbecue. It has to be just the right speed- 18 rpms- to keep that epoxy from tearing up or dripping off until it’s set. And that epoxy is really hard to get off the dining room table,” added Scrounger relating a near death experience with his own project.
The Runt, unusually quiet, coughed a couple of times before getting up from the table and explaining, “I’m feeling a little rough Pickle, do you suppose you could pick up my homework and take it to class tonight and finish it up?” Pickle nodded yes and the Runt departed.
“So, what are these fishing rods worth when you get all done?” I asked looking at the considerable effort and materials required.
“About sixty bucks, not counting time, labour, and spousal aggravation, but it’s worth it,” explained Pickle tallying up the score.
“Much different than these ones they have on sale at Wally World for $4.99?” I wondered holding a the current flyer
The sudden silence around the table was palpable. But then education can be expensive and painful… just like snow angels.