“I have to tell you something，” he said. “This has been one of the best days of my life. The reason I’m telling you is， I wasn’t supposed to be here right now. I’ve been very sick， and my doctors didn’t think I was going to make it. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it， but I’ve been well since last autumn， and everything is fine now. My wife gave me this equipment because I’ve always wanted to fly-fish， and this trip is kind of a celebration for our family. This really has been one of the best days of my life.”
I could not speak. I looked into his eyes and nodded. He smiled at me and cast again. We left the creek only after hearing the triangle ringing for dinner in the distance.
Down the dirt road my four-wheel drive bounced over rots and rocks as I followed the creek that had given us “fantastic”， “beautiful”， “amazing” trout. The next day there would be a new fisherman to meet. And I would not let stiff， expensive clothes or a backward-mounted reel deceive me into thinking he had nothing to teach me.
我從汽車上下來，去見我的客戶和他的妻子。他身體強壯結實，看起來就像戶外運動宣傳冊上的模特。嶄新的釣竿筆挺，所有的器具都閃著光澤，從未被使用過。他把它們掛在胸前，就像擱置在工具房裏的工具。他背上掛著一個手工編製的漁網，水靴上的毛氈像雪一樣潔白。釣竿從沒弄濕過，更別說釣過魚了，釣魚線因為沒有用過而閃閃發光，卷線軸裝反了。
“典型的新手”，我想，根據我的經驗，他跟所有的富人一樣，有錢，但可能苛刻。
我伸出手去跟他握手，他有力地回握。
他的妻子，是一個自信迷人的女士。她為我們照了一張合影後，就向我們揮手道別了，她舉起來的手臂上帶著一個綴滿了綠鬆石的手鐲。
首先，我把他的卷線軸轉了過來，他笑了，聳了聳肩。然後，在房子後麵的草坪上，我們開始練習拋鉤。