THE TABLETS
by Tony Taton

While fishing aboard the Trap-Shooter out of Harbor Beach, Michigan, with my buddy Kenneth Chione, of Howell, we met a boat, which seemed to be following us kind of close. Two riggers went off at the same time, and both of the Kings were good size in the range of 15 pounds. We got the first one in, but the second was feisty and took some long runs before we got it in the boat. The boat following didn't give us much room and he called us to see which lures we were using. Ken was on the horn and gave them the information. They said, "Thank you." Ken told the other captain we would thank him if he gave us more room to land our fish.

After catching a few nice Kings and four nice Cohos, we pretty well had our limit. We netted one fish to limit us out, just as the wind switched into the northeast, and white caps began appearing. We decided to pull in our gear and call it a day. After we arrived at the dock along came the boat, which had been close to us and pulled in next to us. While Ken went to get the trailer, the other men from the boat came to look at our fish.

There were three of them, one older man, one middle age and a boy in his teens.

As they were pulling their boat onto the trailer, it got hung up and the boy, and the middle-aged man tried to move it but couldn't. The older told them to stand aside and he got a hold of the bow, gave it a tug and it slid onto the trailer. I told him he did a good job for a young fellow, and he said, "A young fellow? I'm 84 years old." I told him he kept in great shape, to which he replied, "That is because of the Tablets." With that he reached into his pocket and pulled out two round stones.

"The Tablets?" I questioned, as he handed them to me to look at. "You mean Moses, and the Commandments?" He replied, "You're a pretty smart young man." He then said the Lord wanted us to have a good healthy body and a long life. He further stated that if we follow the commandments, or Tablets, this would happen. He reached over, shook my hand and said goodbye.