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Lou Mogy, Scene Around Town: A Fishing Trip, July 7, 1950:
Getting this column out by the deadline time was
really a chore. Folks, I went deep sea fishing and did I have a good time.
Please excuse me if I tell you a little about the trip. About 14 of our
most ardent fishermen and their sons chartered a boat to go fishing for
yellowtail, barracuda, bass or any other fish which felt sorry for us and wanted
to be hooked. We met about1:30 a.m. at the Marlin Inn Cafe. Everybody
feeling good and wide awake, with lots of sandwiches and a will to go out and
show the fish how good we were in catching them. About 3 a.m., the skipper
boarded and we shoved off. Of course, we all had tackle, hooks and all of us
looked as if we knew what we were doing. Ben Gordon got around the boat
pretty good, so in my mind I proceeded to make him the captain, even though
Murray Goodrich had a captain's hat on. Victor
Schulman took a blanket and went to sleep. With only four bunks on board,
those who were fortunate to get them also went to sleep. Abe
Ratner, Nate Ratner, Saul Chenkin, Arthur Goodman and Lorry Cantor made
themselves comfortable on deck. The children were having fun. Me, I'm just
slightly green. About 6:30 a.m. we dropped anchor off Coronado Islands and I
looked around. I saw about 15 other fishing boats already anchored. I said
to my pal, Lory, "What am I doing here?" By this time I am what you
might call good and sick. Even the sea-sick pills hadn't helped. My pal,
Lory, agrees that we must both be crazy. I have to agree with him. Of
course, it was for the children's sake so everything was o.k. I cast my
line along with the others and proceeded to get sicker. I then said to myself,
"How could you do the same thing twice?" About 18 months ago, I
took my son, Joel, deep sea fishing for the first time in my life. A
retired Navy captain, who had spent 30 years in the Navy, gave me this beautiful
compliment. He said, "Son, in all my years in the Navy I have never seen
anyone as sick as you are." So with this rare accomplishment among my
memories, I was now on a boat off the Coronado Islands talking to myself and
proceeding to beat a 38-year-old record. I gave up trying to fish being
too busy giving up many things. Pretty soon the cry of "line
overboard" went up and I staggered over to where everyone was hollering
"low bridge." I saw my Capt. Ben Gordon had lost his fishing
pole. I then looked for Murray Goodrich. He somehow managed to curl up in
one of the bunks and was fast asleep. The kids continued to have a
wonderful time. By this time I have nothing further to give to the fishes
so I managed to get a bunk. Abe Ratner is already sound asleep. The boat
began to move and I said a quick little prayer. Maybe we were heading for home.
No luck. We are now going after baracuda. Again I go up on deck and join
my pal. He says to me, "Who mentioned my name for this cruise?"
I looked into his eyes and I knew exactly what I meant. Well, folks, this
went on and on and I got sicker and sicker. We finally lifted anchor and headed
for home. Vic Schulman curled up in his blanket again and went to sleep. I
went back to my bunk, talking to myself. "How could you?" said
I. "Wasn't once enough?" At least the children enjoyed
themselves and the good sailors had a good time. Not many fish were caught but
Gary Chenkin, Arthur Goodman and Stevie Gordon won the jackpot prizes. I hope I
haven't bored you with my fish tale. I am still swaying with the boat and
saying, "How could you?" I realize that millions of people enjoy this
wonderful sport and I have no fault to find with it, but please God, don't ever
let me make this mistake again....