A recent incident has deeply affected us. We are a company of fishermen, including my family.
You've all probably met grandfathers who catch a 15-centimeter fish. When you ask why, they answer – for a cat.
But not everyone catches cats, as it turns out.
We came to the shore in a huge company. We set up spinning rods, donks, feeders. Well, who catches what? We came mostly to relax, not to fish. We spread out blankets, had a picnic and went fishing. And 100 meters from us, a grandfather sits with a float in the reeds. Children run around and play. Well, between bites, I took a walk to this fisherman.
I look, and he has a finger-sized perch in his bucket. I ask him, where should I put such a fish? And he answers without thinking — where, for food.
— Me: salt, that is?
— He: No, he says, I'll cook soup. There will be broth and I'll add potatoes.
It's clear that pensioners aren't rich, but they can afford such trifles.
And this is what I heard in response
This grandfather has worked at a factory all his life. He can't cast a donk because his hands hurt and don't work, so he only fishes with a fishing rod. After buying medicine and paying his rent, he has absolutely nothing left for food. He lives alone. His apartment building is not far from the river. So he fishes here.
“That's why I catch, not for cats. Even such a small thing helps me,” he explained to me.
The amazing life of a pensioner. I treated him to food that we took with us on a picnic. And once again I realized, do not judge a person until you put on their sandals and walk their path.
