BEAST OF BURDEN: DOWNSIDE OF THE ALASKAN JOB
We had almost 24 hours of sunshine on the Alaskan job which was great for my partner Bill Morrison because he loved fishing and the stream below our campsite was filled with salmon fighting their way upstream to lay their eggs. Huge fish…so large Bill could not even hold them up to measure them. He needed no bait as the salmon were not eating. Just hook them and drag them to shore. They only wanted to Lay their eggs and die. Brutal end to their lives but a bonanza for Kodiak bears and fishermen like Bill.
“Alan, maybe Dr. Paterson was not completely honest about hour job up here.”
“Got me a US green card as a special person with special knowledge.”
“But there is another aspect to he job beyond Getting the Numbers.”
“Like?”
“Like carrying me here and there when I want to go fishing.”
“Carrying?”
“Cannot get my leather boots wet…”
“Do you mean part of my job description is being a Beast of Burden?”
“Don’t sound so indignant…accept my assurance that your job description involves aiding fishing.”
“Is that in writing?”
“No, Dr. Paterson…Norm…did not put it in writing.”
“Damn!”
“Now turn around, I want to fish on the other side today.”
alan skeoch, March 2018 (pic from 1959)
