The Fisherman Who Gave Away His Catch

On a trip to the Oregon coast, I spent a morning on the pier watching an old fisherman reel in rockfish one after another. He must have caught twenty.

Every time a family walked by, he'd ask, "You folks like fish?" and hand over one or two, wrapped in newspaper, with instructions on how to cook them. Butter, lemon, a hot pan, "and don't you dare overcook it."

When I asked why he didn't keep them, he shrugged. "I've got a freezer full. Fishing's the fun part. Giving them away is the best part."

He gave me one too. I cooked it that night in the tiny kitchen of our rental, exactly the way he said, and it was the best fish I've ever eaten. I've thought about his answer a lot since. The fun part and the best part. I'm trying to live more like that.