THIS IS THE YEAR!
Originally Published the Week of April 9, 2019 in Western Outdoor Publications
We just wrapped up a 4-day stint at the Fred Hall Fishing & Boating Show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego. As always, it’s incredible fun to see all the friends in the fishing industry as well as visit with so many of our clients and their families.
So, as I write this, we have just finished tearing down the booth for the last time in 2019 after almost 4 months on the road. This marks almost 25 years doing the route of fishing, hunting and boating shows that sees us criss-crossing the western states from Denver to Seattle and so many great cities in between.
At each stop, there are countless hours in the booth shaking hands and exchanging smiles and information about Baja and Mexico, La Paz where we live and of course, fishing.
Each show runs 4 to 5 days and up to 10 or 12 hours talking with hundreds of encounters at each event. Each draws thousands of outdoor enthusiasts.
I think anyone who has done these shows will agree that there’s two things that test our patience, but for which we can only grin and smile.
One is the guy who has zero intention of purchasing or inquiring about what we might be offering or selling. Whether it’s trips, vacations, fishing reels or sleeping bags.
He just wants to talk. And tell a story. And another story. And another. It’s not a conversation. It’s a narrative.
And then out comes the cell phone to show you all his fishing photos. Oh no. And there goes that index finger sliding and tapping away trying to find the right photo among the thousands he has never ever deleted from the phone’s memory
“…and here’s the big dorado I caught in 1975…no…that was 1982…or maybe that was 1983.
“But, here’s s’more photos of the time me and my best friend drove all the way to Loreto back in the day. Let me show you some of the roosterfish we caught!”
And there goes that finger again…scan…scan…scan…tap…tap
“Oh now where is that photo? That’s the wrong trip. Hang on!
As if you’re waiting expectantly to see the photos. Except you’re really not.
You want someone to just poke you in the back with a fork. After awhile, I’m not even listening. The other person sounds like Charlie Brown’s teacher when she talks to him.
Wa-wa-wa-wa-wa…Wa..wa…wa…
And all you can do is grin and grit your teeth and smile and try to be as courteous as possible. Meanwhile in your peripheral vision you see so many other potential folks you COULD be talking to and trying to engage.
And others trying to talk to you see that you’re occupied or there’s no room at the counter so they move on!
Waa-waa—wa-wa—waaaa…
Ultimately, they are all good and just want to share great memories and stories.
The other test of patience is the guy who comes up to your booth year-after-year. Asks the same questions.
He says, “THIS IS THE YEAR I’M COMING TO FISH WITH YOU!”
He said it the year before. And the year before that.
A few years in a row is fine! No worries, amigo. I’m saving the fish for you! We all laugh and high-five. It’s all good. Life gets in the way. Whether he ever comes, it’s OK. It’s nice to get a laugh and smile.
But, I’ve had some guys who have come to the booth, 8, 9, 10 or more years in a row. Each year, the same thing.
And they stuff about 4 bucks of my printed flyers and brochures into their goodie-bags. And ask the same questions they asked the year before.
And walk away saying,
“If not this year…SOMEDAY!”
I guess it’s OK. What are ya gonna do?
Sometimes, they eventually DO come! But there’s so many that will never ever come and they’re just yanking your chain and taking your materials.
It’s like hearing white lies that are as transparent as air.
But a few months ago, one guy that I thought would never come came to the booth. He bee-lined right up to me with a big smile. I recognized him right away and braced for the usual comments.
But this year, he was finally going to come and finally bring his adult son. It was going to be the father-son trip they had talked about for years.
No more talking he happily told me. He finally decided tomorrow couldn’t wait. Everything had finally lined up and he was as happy and animated as you could imagine. FINALLY coming to fish!
Hot dang!
I was excited too! Not just for him but with him as well. I was excited as well for his son who I had come to know over all the years of chatting.
We talked about passports and what kinds of fish they might catch and great places to eat. We laughed over how big the fish might get and how they both better “yoke up!” and get ready to pull on these beastly fish!
We planned the different spots they would fish. We even planned a day of snorkeling. We joked about taking selfies to send home to all the relatives showing the two of them posing with beers and fish on the beach!
So, we locked in dates and activities and over the next few weeks, three of us exchanged e-mails and phone calls fine tuning this trip-of-a-lifetime.
Their excitement was contagious and I was having fun as well.
They were so excited and enthusiastic and I couldn’t wait to have them visit us in La Paz.
And then, just a few days ago I got an e-mail from the son.
“I’m afraid we won’t make it, Jonathan. We have to cancel. Dad passed away two days ago. His heart. I’m sorry.
“I’ve never seen him so happy as when he talked about finally coming down to fish with you in La Paz. After all those years of wishing he was so looking forward to it.
“I was looking forward to spending time with my dad. We never had a trip together like that.”
As I read, I could feel the emotion in the son’s words.
“We kept saying ‘someday.’”
“We waited too long.”
That’s my story…
Jonathan
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Jonathan Roldan has been writing the Baja Column in Western Outdoor News since 2004. Along with his wife and fishing buddy, Jilly, they own and run the Tailhunter International Fishing Fleet in La Paz, Baja, Mexico www.tailhunter.com.
They also run their Tailhunter Restaurant Bar on the famous La Paz malecon waterfront. If you’d like to contact him directly, his e-mail is: jonathan@tailhunter.com
Or drop by the restaurant to say hi. It’s right on the La Paz waterfront!
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Jonathan Roldan’s
Tailhunter International
Website:
www.tailhunter-international.com
Mexico Office: Tailhunter International, 755 Paseo Obregon, La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico
U.S. Mailing Address: Tailhunter International, 8030 La Mesa Blvd. #178, La Mesa CA 91942
Phones:
from USA : 626-638-3383
from Mexico: 044-612-14-17863
.
Tailhunter Weekly Fishing Report: http://fishreport.jonathanroldan.com/
Tailhunter YouTube Video Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBLvdHL_p4-OAu3HfiVzW0g
“When your life finally flashes before your eyes, you will have only moments to regret all the things in life you never had the courage to try.”
That's My Story 
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