Fish Tales from the Central Coast

Three fishermen sit along the California coast, patiently waiting for a bite and doing what fishermen do best—telling stories about fish they’ve caught, fish they’ve lost, and fish that probably never existed. The fellow in the red cap remembers landing a twenty-pound halibut, although his companions recall it being closer to five pounds the last time he told the story. The gentleman in the gray cap insists he once hooked something so enormous it nearly pulled him into the Pacific, while the third fellow claims he released a record-breaking fish because he didn’t want to embarrass the others. As the afternoon wears on, the waves keep rolling in, the fishing rod remains suspiciously motionless, and the fish grow larger with every retelling. By sunset, these three will have caught absolutely nothing but will have enough stories to supply a seafood restaurant for a month.