Fishing with an Old Man

Initially my Taiwanese father-in-law did not like me. There were several reasons for this. I was divorced. I was American. I was too old for his daughter (I was 38 years old, she was 31). I was taking her from her home in Taiwan, and I did not have a job waiting for...

Jack’s Fish

Yesterday my friend Jack called at the last minute to ask if I wanted to go fishing. Family was passing through town, and he wanted to take a young nephew out on the river. When a friend with a boat says that he is going fishing, it’s unusual for me not to jump at the...

Mercury in Fish

July and August are the most pleasant months to fish on the Upper Mississippi. They also are the months I tend not to bring home any fish.  I know that it is partly my imagination, but I don’t think the fish taste as good in the middle of the summer. The water is warm...

Uncle Bill

My Uncle Bill used to be long-haul truck driver. In every American city I’ve ever lived – San Francisco, Boston, Minneapolis, Ames, Iowa, it didn’t matter where – I got phone calls from Bill when he was on the road. “Steve, this is your Uncle Bill. I’m at...
Steven Simpson