Gone Fishin'

If you have dined at the Bee-stro, you may have heard playing on our playlist, “Gone Fishin’”, by Bing Crosby and Louie Armstrong. I just love that song. It’s so cheery and peaceful. It just makes you think of better days. Well, today, Andy woke up got ready and sang this line of the song, “We gone fishin’ instead of just a-wishin’”.

Andy’s last day of work was March 2, 2022. We live on a lake. He loves fishing. Since he retired, he has only fished twice. Maybe there was a third time in there somewhere we have forgotten about.

Now that’s just crazy. He should fish more. I totally believe and support his desire to do more fishing. So that’s why we bought a used fishing boat.

It’s not that Andy hasn’t had a boat in the past. Last year he swapped a generator and his 2 man fishing pontoon boat for 24’ pontoon boat with no motor and a clean deck board (meaning no seating or other niceties).

The idea of the pontoon boat was not just for fishing, but for entertaining. One trip on our 8 acre lake, we quickly realized the 24’ pontoon was a monstrosity for a lake our size. It’s now acting as a dock to fish from off our boat ramp. (And it’s for sale for a very low price. A great project for the man, or woman, who enjoys restoring items to their former glory. It would make a great Christmas gift, just sayin’).

Andy and I both spent weeks on Market Place this year looking for a used fishing boat. Finally, on October 1, we found a boat we were interested in looking at and the seller got back with us. (It’s amazing how many times you can’t get a seller to respond on FB Market Place.)

The boat was in Terre Haute and we went to look at it after we dropped off some food at a catering gig. The original price for the 14’ Jon boat, which was in very good condition was $800. The guy had dropped the price to $500. After we had asked all the questions including title and other pertinent information, we were to the point of making an offer. Andy said, “So you are asking $500?” The guy said something about yeah, he had dropped the price because they needed money. His truck had been stolen from the driveway. He hadn’t been able to work due to a recent shoulder surgery making it impossible to do his profession of logging. That’s when I piped up and told Andy, “Pay him $650.”

I mean, with all that going against the guy, wouldn’t it be nice to just give him a little extra more? Would that $150 really hurt us 1 year from now, but could it be a blessing to this guy’s family now?

Andy paid the guy the $650. We hooked up the boat and headed home. As we were driving, Andy told me the next time there is a price to be negotiated, I have to stay in the truck because I had learned the art of negotiation from the Jay Pell Art of Negotiating Educational Program, which is true. Haha.

Jay, my Dad, told the story of when he was a young man and had a Jeepster to sell. Now, bear with me, I don’t remember the details, but I do remember the lesson. Dad showed the gentleman the Jeepster letting him take it for a spin. The gentleman evidently liked the Jeepster and asked Dad what he wanted for it. Dad told him to make an offer. The gentleman offered Dad $200. Dad told him, no he couldn’t do that. Instead, he told the gentleman he wouldn’t take any more than $150. Hahaha. If you have a hard time letting that sink in, just do the math. Dad took $50 less than the guy was willing to pay.

Now, during that time could my parents have used the $50? They sure could have. They were newlyweds just starting to build their lives. However, if Dad would have taken the gentlemen’s offer, would they have remembered what they spent that extra $50 on? Probably not. If Dad would have accepted the guy’s full offer, our family would not have this priceless story to share throughout the generations.

Yes, Andy is right. I was taught the Jay Pell Art of Negotiating Educational Program. But it comes with humor and a good story. And with the price of inflation, I think my $150 seemingly deal breaking loss is about the same as my Dad’s $50. And both are worth the story.

So, when you see Andy out in his $650 boat on the lake fishing, you know he has me to thank for the great deal he got. You also understand why he sometimes shakes his head at me and why he sometimes has to be Gone Fishin’.