Jimmy and Pete sat out on the dock, drinking Coca-Colas and fishing. Brackish waves tumbled under the ancient boards, rocking them softly. “I wish those fish would hurry up and bite. This here waiting is wearing me out,” Jimmy complained.
“Let’s us move on over to the next dock. I think I saw the water swirling around them pilings,” suggested Pete.
“Yeah, I reckon we could, iffen I decide to get up,” moaned Jimmy.
“Hey, I just saw a mullet jump over there. We could probably catch it if we were closer,” Pete said.
“That would mean toting all this here gear all the way over there!” Jimmy grumbled. So they sat there in silence for awhile. Pete pulled out a plug of tobacco and stuffed it in his lip. Jimmy watched the seagulls and crabs.
“Did you see that?” Pete gasped.
“See what?” asked Jimmy.
“That there pelican just brought him up a nice sized fish, right next to that other dock,” Pete replied.
“I guess we could move over there iffen I don’t get a bite real soon,” Jimmy conceded.
“Want a beer? This here Coca-Cola is getting warm and I think a bug just flew in there,” Pete said.
“A cold beer would taste real good right now,” said Jimmy.
So they drank a beer and watched a jet fly over, leaving white trails in the sky. Pretty soon, Jimmy began to get sleepy. Pete watched a couple of boys walk out on the other dock, carrying their fishing poles. It wasn’t long before one of the boys caught a fish. “Them boys are having better luck over there,” he stated. Then, the boys hauled in another one.
After a little bit of this, Pete stood up and stretched. "We better git on. It’s getting late,” he yawned.
“Give it another couple of minutes. I almost got a bite,” Jimmy yawned.
So Pete sat back down wearily and picked up his fishing pole. The two boys left after a while, carrying a bucket full of fish. Pete groaned and said it was almost suppertime. Meanwhile, Jimmy had dozed off, his back resting against a piling. So Pete waited a little bit longer, until the sun began to drop behind the horizon. Then, he shook Jimmy awake and they headed out.
First, they stopped off at Pete’s place, where both of their wives sat on the porch shelling peas. “Where’s them fish? We can have them along with these peas!” said Pete’s wife.
“We worked all day at catching fish, but didn’t get any,” Jimmy answered grimly.
“I guess,” Pete winked, “they just weren’t biting today!”
