I remember one trip up to the Big Wood in Hailey, Idaho. Uncle Ben was teaching me some fly casting. Once I got the hang of it, he turned me loose with his favorite split bamboo fly rod. This rod was like a Stradivarius. I hooked and landed a beautiful 24" wild Rainbow.
(The fishing was SO great on that river!) I set the rod on a gravel bar while I unhooked the Trout. I was beaming! I was stoked! I was.... looking at Uncle Ben's fly rod with 6" broke off the tip? 
The feeling was probably like free soloing the Nose on El Cap, and falling about 10 feet from the top. I didn't step on it, or catch it between any rocks. I could not figure out how the tip of the rod had snapped off. It didn't matter. I had to go tell Uncle Ben. It was like "Dead Man Walking", each and every excrutiating step along the river, back to my Uncle's house. 
Upon arrival, Ben asked how the fishing was. I showed him the Trout. He was estatic! I was full of fear and loathing. I showed him the rod. It did not go over too well. I apologised, over and over, but knew I had soiled sacred ground. Ben said "I need a little time alone." I probably thought about tying a rock to my feet, and finding a very deep hole in the river. 
Things were a bit better the next morning. We had a Pow Wow, and got it sorted out. I still felt horrible. I went home after the vacation, with the look on his face etched in my mind's eye, upon presentation of the rod on that fateful day. I worked the paper route back home. I saved everything I could. By the time December rolled around I had enough money. I found the best Orvis rod I could afford, and had it sent to him for Christmas. I got a call, Christmas Day, 1972, (I was 12 years old). It was Ben, of course. He told me "There's a lot of fishing rods a man can own in a lifetime John, but there's only one of you. Which one do you think is more important to me?" I was still a bit scared. I opted for the fishing rods answer. He laughed long and hard! He said "Wrong you fool! It's you! Thank you for the new rod Nephew, and don't you ever, ever dare to ask me if you can use it!" I learned many more than one lesson that day, all of them good.
