Come with me to Saline County, Arkansas and lets mosey over to the Congo Road. I have somethin' I want to show you.
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Most bait shops nowadays are really so commercialized that they rarely fish...they just sell goodies at the store, thus my original comments of Stripmine1's story. But that story reminded me on the one I'm about to tell.
Mr. Hester was a stand-up sorta guy. I never saw him in anything but Big Smith Blue-bib overalls and a long sleeved cotton denim shirt and old brogran boot/shoes. When I was a teenager Mr. Hester looked ancient. But he was a kind, gentle old man that always gave Daddy a good count on whatever we bought.
He had a shop that was about 12' wide and 40-50 feet long, stick built with wood clapboard siding w/ a composition shingle roof. There was a window at the end of the shop facing the man roadway, Congo Road.
Every time I passed there in my later grownin' up and adult years, I would look through the window habitually, and see the row of regular light bulbs hanging from the center of the ceiling, just a-glowin', going the length of his shop. The pretty much lined up one right behind the other.
I bought bait there every time I could, but even when I wasn't fishin', I'd look over at his shop whenever I'd pass and see that the lights were still on. To me, that meant the Mr. Hester was still alive and kickin'. I really thought the old man was going to live forever.
One day, brother Tom and I went by there and the lights were out--and it was up in the morning. For weeks they were out and we feared the worst for our old buddy. Then one day as we were goin' to Little Hurricane in search of legendary bass, we noticed they were back on!!! This made our day, donchaknow. We bounded in there with minnow bucket in hand expecting to see his smilin' but weather-worn face, but were surprised to see his wife there instead. She was all of 5'3" and dried up lookin' but business-like. She didn't know us and her demeanor let us know it from the start.
To the constant humming of the aerators, we ordered two or three dozen brood minnows. She counted them out, one by one, in her HAND from the net! On the last net, one of the minnows flipped into my bucket. "Opps, I gave you what you ordered already, put one back." We couldn't believe our ears. Tom just grinned at me and shook his head in disbelief as he "put one back."
It was the end of an era. Our inquiry brought the sad news of Mr. Hester's passing.
I never went back. The shop struggled for a few months and then closed for good. I sure have some good memories because of Mr. Hester and his finely-run bait shop on Congo Road, and for that, I am most grateful. Growin' up in Saline County was great! Thanks for comin' along. <><
aj
"Keep a song in your heart." L. Welk
