Sebastian O'Kelly

  Hot Bass in Da City!

    posted November 28, 2006 3:16 PM

The October day dawned warm and bright. No meetings, business casual for sure. I had a good feeling. Arrived at work and as hoped, the Suit's door is dark. Soon he calls in.

"With a client today. Business development." (codespeak: I'm playing golf and won't be coming in).

"O.K."

"Go ahead and finish up that Memo. But I want a look-see before you send it to HQ. We need to close the feedback loop with the Region so be sure to cc them." (codespeak: I may be playin' but you are gonna be workin'. I need to see the paperwork to be sure that my name is on it so I can get full credit with the corporate brass even though I didn't write it. Make sure the Regional Office gets a copy too, as I want to suck up to them also.)

"Got it."

"If I need to be reached I have my Blackberry." (codespeak: Email me if it is really important. Do not call me on the cell as you could interrupt my backswing.)

"Right." As soon the Suit hangs up, I'm shooting off an email to C-Mace - 'Noon at the Pond!'



I catch a trusty red chariot with a Pakistani driver at the reins. 10 minutes later another $11 is debited to the company account and I step out ready to fish.



The essentials for the fly fishing commuter.



Watch your step! Dodging turds is a skill all good urban fly fishers must acquire.



An oasis in the urban jungle. Many big cities have waters like this one. But not many produce street fighters like these.



When you're chasing bigmouths, finding good structure is the name of the game. Even if it is human detritus left by tourists.



A positive fishing outcome is the result.



C-Mace works in IT at a major law firm. Here he catches a bottom feeder without his briefs.



Soon it's back to the office banging out the Memo and preparing for the inevitable check in from the Suit. If he really wanted to know what I was up to, I'd shoot him a copy of The Offbeat Angler. (codespeak: Yeah, I'm pimping my book)

But then he would never read it or believe it if he did.


  Sebastian O'Kelly

  Downtown Browns In The Workday!

    posted November 28, 2006 3:16 PM

The smell of fresh fruit in the warm air, berry stains on my shoes, business casual -- what more could a corporate drone ask for?

My elation abated somewhat at the sight of the in-box when I arrived at the office. Paper products to the max.



Then The Suit calls in. "You working on the Taskforce Report?"

"Yup."

"I'm in meetings all day." (codespeak: I'm playing golf and won't be coming in)

"O.K."

"Don't forget the conference call at 2. Strategic Planning will be on. You need to really play up our role on the Report." (codespeak: You better suck up big-time because your job depends on it. And don't ever forget that you are a bureaucratic toady who works in a cubicle.)

The Suit hangs up. There's not a moment to lose. A window to satisfy my workday fishing jones. I call C-Mace. "Dude, the drop is full on! See you at noon. " I hop into the Big Red Machine and in an act of minor employee rebellion use the company voucher to pay the fare.



A couple days before were spent fumbling at the vise for a reasonable imitation. Some chenille glued on popper foam produced this facsimile.



Down at the canal, the berries are a droppin' and the fish aswirlin' in a Boones Farm Baccus Delight! I find a favored tree with good overhang. First cast, fish on!



Here's the result. Aka Downtown Brown (carp carpio).



Then C-Mace hooks up.



More action ensues. Lunch hour and a half is up and it is back to the office for the conference call. Later The Suit calls in from the 19th. "Conference call go well?"

"Yup." I smile as I get a whiff of berries and fish from my hands on the receiver. If The Suit really wants to know what his worker bee is up to, maybe I'll give him a copy of The Offbeat Angler for Christmas.

Then again, maybe not.