Personal Log Stardate 63491.2

Today my father decided that we would do something together as father and son. Surprised, I immediately agreed and I asked him if he had any ideas for an activity. He said he wanted to go fishing. Once again I was surprised, for in all my life he had never expressed such an interest. So, we packed some things and headed to the holodeck for our fishing trip. Only a few hours into it, and I don't think this was quite the excursion my father had in mind....


"This is boring." James muttered.


"Hmm?" Ben asked, looking up from his fishing rod. They had been sitting out on the lake for quite some time now, the serene calm only intermittently interrupted by the sound of a frog or other lake wild life in the area.


"Oh nothing, nothing," James said, taking his eyes from the skies and dismally returning them to the water. Two hours. They had been out on the water for nearly two hours and not one fish caught. Their boat was empty, their skin tender from the intense rays of the sun.


"BOOOORING!" James cried aloud, startling Ben from his perch in the boat.


"What do you mean 'boring'? This is what you wanted! You asked to fish." Ben replied.


"Yeah, but I didn't think it was going to be like this! Nothing's happening!" James stated.


"And what did you expect?


"I don't know, fish! Where are they? We have been out her for a while now and not a peep! Why don't you make something happen. Cause a storm, give us some waves...make it fun!" James declared.


"Well, this is what you asked for. The computer created the simulation based on your specifications. You have no one to blame but yourself. Besides, we are on a lake and not the grand Pacific. You are not going to get hurricane forces here. It's not in the program." Ben explained.


"It is if you re-write it!" James chided with a grin.


"I am not about to re-write programs just so you can get your kicks. This is fishing, this is what you suggested.  So I suggest you sit down, shut up, and cast your damned line in the water and be happy." Ben said.  He then sat down and re-cast his own line. There was a new-found silence in the boat, and just as the calm was about to settle once again over them, James stood up and tossed his fishing pole into the water.


"There are NO fish! We have been sitting out here for four hours----"


"Two," Ben interrupted.


"QUITE some time, and neither of us has managed to catch a single fish! How is that possible? How did you manage to program the ONE lake in all creation with no fish? I mean, what did you do, specifically ask for the one lake that has no chance to bring any joy to anyone who came out here? Has this lake ever had fish? Did they all die in some catastrophic event?" James ranted.


"From what I understand, you have to be patient when fishing," Ben replied airily, closing his eyes to his upset father.


"Patient? How the hell can you be patient? We are sitting in the middle of a lake with the sun beating down on us from above and reflecting up from the water burning our skin like a baked ham, and drying us to the bone. I'm hot, thirsty, and there are no fish!"


"There is water all around you," Ben said with a gesture of his hand. "Lean over and take a drink."


"You suggesting I stick my head in that filth?" James demanded.


"Yes Dad, that is exactly what I am suggesting! Stick your head under, hold it there for twenty-five minutes, and I guarantee you won't be thirsty any more. Blimey, you may even finally catch a fish!" Ben said as he waved his hands about.


"You're about to catch something right now..." James muttered.


"What?" Ben asked.


"Nothing. I'm leaving. Computer Exit!" James stood up suddenly in the boat, preparing to walk out the doors now present on the shore.


"You're leaving? You can't just leave, this was your idea!" Ben called after him, holding onto the edge of the boat. The flustered movements of his father were upsetting the small craft, and it was beginning to rock violently.


"Watch me," James replied, and he gathered up his few belongings and attempted to push off the side of the boat. Unfortunately, his motion was charged with anger, and he pushed with too much force. The boat swerved suddenly to the left, was buffeted by the newly created wave, and both men were sent careening into the water. Ben yelled, and with a great splash landed flat on his back in the water. His father was soaked through, sitting on his pride not too far from his son.


"Well, this is just perfect," Ben said as he sat up. "Now I am all wet."


"It's holographic water Son, you'll be dry as soon as you step out the door." James said with a chuckle.


"That is not the point--" Ben started, but James interrupted.


"I wonder why we didn't sink? We are in the middle of the lake." James mused.


"It's a holodeck Dad, it adjusts to us." Ben explained.


"And yet, it couldn't adjust and put some damned fish in the water." James looked at his son, and he smiled. Then he began to laugh. He stayed sitting in the water staring at his son, and both men were soon laughing at their ridiculous situation. Finally standing, Ben offered his Dad a hand to pull him up and out of the water.


"Come on Dad, time for Lunch. We can talk about some other activity we can do together."


"How about shuttle racing? That could be fun for us. I know you have a few shuttles here that would be perfect." James asked as they neared the holodeck doors.


Patting his Dad on his wet shoulder, Ben laughed. "Not on your life Old Man." The doors parted and they left together.