A Life, and Medicine

… Good Work

A day of classes, a 3hr drive turned 6 hours by Seattle traffic, I arrived to a note left for me. It meant an alarm was set for 7:45am just for me and precious few hours of sleep on my first day off of studies in 3 weeks. The next morning I was heading crabbin with my uncle, because that is what men do for fun when its in season… and everyone knows I’m a man’s man (funny history here I may post in the future) and thus no need for a conversation. Its a done deal.

The air was sharp, clear, and cold. The boat was well worn and the obvious object of love - as the owner’s name was boldly painted across the bow. As the youngest man aboard - by about 40 years - I was quickly designated, in fine country fashion, the slow and clumsy cabin boy. While in the background I hear my Uncle bragging me up to the owner of the boat, “Smart, Blah Blah, UWSOM…” I start in baiting the traps… Rotten fish guts from somewhere. I slopped them into the bait cages trying not to recognize livers, bowels, and other tidbits floating in my mind from anatomy. The captain swings back and makes some comment about the smell, my soft doc’ter hands and a cheap prostitute, setting the stage for a warped and amusing day of humor. A few minutes pass and I hear the first holler. I grunt and toss the pot. SPLASH! The first pot is soaking.

Six hours later. Many laughs - mostly at my expense. 36 hard caught crab left two old men proud of their catch. My uncle and I whipped through and cleaned up the gear, sprayed off the deck, put away the bait, stacked the traps, and I kicked back (picture above) day dreaming about how to make-up the time away from my wife/nephews/niece/mom.

On the way back while my mind still wandered, my uncle walked out of the cabin to the back of the boat. His face, though wrinkled and weathered, was glowing with contentment. We had some small talk on the way back to dock, about dinner, and other small details. Then he turned, just before walking back into the cabin, pauses and says “…Good work Al.” 

“God Dammit,” I though bemusedly. It just happened again. Perspective.

Good work is one of those things often avoided, just like I tried to avoid this crabbing trip. Up early, dirty, and smelly verses a lazy day with clean giggling kids  amped to hang with Uncle Al. However in the end good work always rewards. The real poetry of life is that the reward often come in a form we don’t expect but really need. I needed this reminder, as in the last week I found myself lazy and apathetic after my intense A&E boot camp. I felt like I deserved it. So this was a great reminder - a jab in the heart - to push through hardship and reap the unseen benefits of a duty done well.

So here is to good work. The wonderfully simple lessons and rewards it has to offer. And let us never evade it, and if we do let Good Work track us down and get in our way again and again.

To Good Work!

Thanks, as always, for your time.