A fisherman can make a poor living guiding fly fishermen on the Ausable river. Renting out a couple of canoes to pleasure paddlers is easy money on top. Marking up a lunch box for customers is easy, but takes getting up earlier. But the season is short, so the total is meager. There used to be off-season work at the mill, but that’s gone now. There’s a battery factory opening up forty miles to the north, but here’s the problem. He dropped out of school in the fifth grade to help his dad in his guide business; dad drove a county snow plow during the winter and got him work bagging at the grocery. Between them they had barely the time and money to raise his two little sisters. Mom was in prison on drug charges. Talking about what it was like before, they agreed that they wanted her to stay there.

He eventually copped a felony and got fired for shoplifting. His lack of education and the felony made his prospects poor. He thought terrible thoughts about deeds that would net him enough for marriage, a family, a new car …

This siege will grow even harsher to convince us
that we should choose some harmless slavery
as if by our own freewill.

To resist is to be convinced
of  the good health of your heart and your balls,
and of that worst of afflictions: hope.   Mahmoud Darwish

George's selection of 66 Phlogs is available in print from People's Press.

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