There’s fisherman who is famous in my town in northern Holland, near the sea. They say he has been around the world a few times, so I thought I would ask him some questions. A very short interview followed.
***
Luuk: Pardon me, but may I ask you a few questions?
Fisherman: What about? What for?
Luuk: Well, about fishing of course. I want to ask you some things and then we could talk about the life of a fisherman in Holland. It’s a very short interview. Oh, and it’s for a literary Internet magazine in America.
Fisherman: America! Son, you don’t even know what you are talkin’ about.
Luuk: I do know, but can I ask you some things about fishing.
Fisherman: No, you cannot.
Luuk: Sir, please.
Fisherman: Have you ever been to America?
Luuk: The questions are about the philosophy of fishing and the feeling you get when you are out at sea.
Fisherman: Answer the question, boy.
Luuk: Yes, I have been to America. But…
Fisherman: Did you take a look at the men and women there? Not a care in the world. They’re all too busy doing what they please. I once was there and instantly saw the world reduced to tears, face-to-face with their fears and crying of the horror before their eyes. It is when the faith in the human race becomes weak that you separate the true men from those who only seek happiness in the sorrow of others. I despise them all, for the great nation that has fallen and has fallen deep. It lacks the men who rank themselves beneath Mother Nature, and I missed the women altogether. A country of nature without men and men without women. I would never go back there.
Luuk: That’s not entirely true. I was there and it was nothing like that.
Fisherman: When were you there?
Luuk: About six years ago, I think.
Fisherman: Exactly. Good day.
Luuk: Don’t you want to say anything about the philosophy of fishing?
Fisherman: I just did, son.
