MENDING FISHING NETS AS IN THE TIME OF JESUS

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Enough said. Stay sober.

I am a weather man today. The wind is from the south this morning. Rare. Whenever from the south, it rains/storms. Lovely out at the moment. Sun shinning. Nary a cloud. However, palm trees bent north from the south wind. Ripples in the pool running north, also.

The weather report says only a 10% chance of rain today. I disagree. Let’s see if I am correct.

The Greek isle of Amorgos is my Shangri-la. When there, I live as the natives. A small apartment on the waterfront. Few amenities. No airport. The boat comes in with people and supplies once a week.

Saturday’s Keynoter had a picture on the editorial page of a fishing net and well attired gentleman who apparently had been mending the net. The net was hanging  from some sort of post in the picture. The picture a 1977 photo.

My Amorgos home was about a hundred yards from Adelphos’ home. Each time I walked into the heart of the village, I had to walk by Adelpho’s place.

Most afternoons, I would find Adelphos sitting on the ground in front of his abode. About 30 feet from the water. In his lap and surrounding him was a large fishing net. He was always mending the net. Daily. Otherwise, the net would fall apart in a few days. The mending involved looking for places to repair and untangling parts of the net that had twisted together. Adelphos worked primarily with his fingers. Adeptly. Sometimes with some sort of needle. About four inches long.

Mending nets is referred to in the Bible in several places. Four of Jesus’ disciples were fisherman who joined him while mending their nets. Mending nets probably goes back to the beginnings of man.

In all the centuries, nothing has changed for Adelphos or the fisherman of Amorgos who came before him. Though it has changed here in the United States and most of the modern world. The mending is more technical and machine driven.

I had to get out of the house early due to the open house. I was at the Plantation Coffee House at 11. Stayed till 3. Would have stayed longer. However, the place closes at 3 on Sunday. I did not know. While there, I did yesterday’s blog, read some Sunday papers, had a couple of cups of coffee and a toasted bagel. Chatted a bit with owner Diana. Yesterday’s blog was unusually long. The spread of European Nazism and the failure of the American media to keep us advised is bothersome from my perspective.

I could not return home till after 4. It was only 3. I was driving along the Atlantic and passed the Key West Airport. I turned around and headed to it. My goal was the Airport’s restaurant.

I am glad I decided to go there. Only when traveling would I normally stop.

It was old home week. Victor was bartending. Several years ago, Victor was the bartender one night a week at the Chart Room. Someone came up and hugged me as Victor and I were talking. It was Jana. I enjoyed seeing her again. Big time!

Jana immigrated from one of the eastern block countries to Key West. She is presently 32. Our connection goes back to the Paradise Cafe. My daily morning haunt of years ago. My favorite place for Cuban cheese toast with tomato. The best! Never that good again!

Jana was the enterprising sort. She opened her own restaurant on Bertha Street after Paradise closed. She had a hard time. The place did not take off. She took a financial beating. I used to go frequently because she was serving the same Cuban cheese toast with tomato that I had enjoyed for so many years at Paradise Cafe.

A few years have passed. Jana looked terrific. Happy. The pressure off her face. A bad business will do that to a person. She has been a waitress at the Airport for over a year. Married, also. A retired military man.

The twenty young men have left the MTV house across the way. Yesterday. Replaced by couples and children. When I went outside this morning, a mother carrying a baby waived at me..

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is in the process of purchasing Miami’s Channel 10. South Florida’s second largest TV station. Welcome Buffett and company. Anyplace/anything he decides to buy has to be good!

Syracuse is a #3 seed in the South Region. I am surprised. I thought it might be higher. That is all I have to say. We shall see how things go as the tournament progresses. Friday is the first game.

Enjoy St. Patrick’s Day!