An In-Sider

Senior moments can occur at any time or place. We’ve also noticed that these moments (more than a simple lapse of memory) can be triggered unexpectedly. My most recent senior moment occurred by surprise.

We have all been concerned about global warming (and cooling) as well as pollution of our water, land and sky (air). But I was brought closer to this reality in a roundabout, rather strange way. Let me begin by going way back.

My wife as a young girl was taken on many fishing expeditions with her grandfather. They would sit on the wall of the channel where ships and lesser vessels would traverse. They would also go out into the lake in a rickety ol’ boat.

So what, you say. But no life preservers. I don’t even know if grandpa could swim much less rescue a young maiden who could have fallen into the wild blue yonder (meaning water). Today, to her surprise, her son-in-law subscribed for her a monthly magazine as a Christmas gag (gift). For decades she hasn’t touched a fish hook but every month Walleye In-sider: The World’s Foremost Authority on Walleye Fishing arrives in our mailbox.

After several months (she gives these copies to friends who like to fish) I sat down and looked at the current issue (April 2008) before she gave it away. It was fascinating. I saw ads on every imaginable trick of the trade (lures, locations where fish bite, drift socks, supercasters, floats, reels, a Wally Diver, sonar, LCD flashers, tackle untanglers, catalogues and of course, fishing vessels).

One particular article caught my attention: Duluth Sewage Effluent Feminizing Fish. Oh oh. Researchers placed fathead minnows in the water containing sewage released by the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District plant in Duluth (our son-in-law lives in Minnesota). What happened? Male minnows lost their aggressive ability to protect nests, fight off rivals, and mate with female fish. Alas, female minnows lost their ability to reproduce after a 14-day exposure.

Scientists noted that it’s unlikely these chemicals would affect humans but fish are susceptible. We live on the shores of Lake Michigan. Consequently we are concerned about what is happening to our fish in a variety of ways. Believe it or not, this brief article highlighted my own concern for water, land and air. It intensified my personal concern. Recently

I was reminded that back in the olden days, people lined the walls of the channel (where my wife had fished) on both sides fishing for the plentiful perch. You couldn’t find a spot to fish until someone left. Not any more. Things have changed.

Yes, our senior moments are varied. And numerous. We just don’t always recognize them. As for me, I have been awakened again, most unexpectedly, by a chance occurrence. I also read recently where several large industries are involved in huge multi-zillion dollar cleanups because of their polluting the environment. It happened and is still happening, unfortunately.

That’s why I had to write this Senior Moment. It is the least I can do to alert a few about the awesome tragedies occurring to this marvelous but hardly indestructible earth of ours. If this Senior Moment can reverberate with your moments, together we can help rather than hinder.

Thanks, Walleye In-sider. I’m not going fishing but I am willing to create more of an awareness for the protection of our precious but not indestructible planet. Thanks for listening and caring.

PS. I’m curious. I found N-sider and insider in the dictionary but not in-sider. Maybe there is something I missed in the expression In-sider. Maybe I should have trolled deeper. Hmmmm.