Why not, I told him. I didn't need a rod, but I would enjoy the project.We had a month, four sessions, and we would learn a few steps in each session and then were expected to complete much of the work on our own. Sad to say, many of the guys were a bit slow to work on the rods, but no matter, Miss T and I both decided to build one. I used the kit I was given, but upgraded a couple items, SHE ordered a kit in advance and was right there with me. SHE had already built a couple bamboo rods, so she knew how things were going to work. She assisted the instructor in the teaching, helping the slower guys. She did NOT however, build any of the rods FOR them... they would think they were being slick, acting like they didn't know how to do the wraps. Tina would complete a wrap, then give 'em a yank and zip... off it came.
"It's supposed to be YOUR rod hon... " she'd tell them. "When you tell all your friends you built it... you will have built it." 
When my rod was done, and had been inspected and given back. I put it in a rod sleeve, and took it over to show it to the Physical Therapist who had handled my recovery for the Shoulder Surgery and my latest Knee Revision. He was a great guy and everyone loved him. They all called him Doctor Dick, even though he wasn't a Doctor. His name was Richard, and he had forty years as a therapist, with a Master's Degree, Heck, even the Orthopedic Surgeons called him doc.
He was a fixture around the VA PT lab, wandering around the equipment with the ever present towel tossed casually over his shoulder, quick to pass it to a patient and grab a fresh towel.I spent a lot of time on the rod, got the wraps just right and upgraded the reel seat to a nice wood.
- The green and gold before epoxy.jpg (153.47 KiB) Viewed 4724 times
- jims build.jpg (157.94 KiB) Viewed 4724 times
After he had admired the rod, and told me that I did a great job on it... I told him it was HIS to keep. I had plenty of fly rods, and I knew he could use it. I didn't "need" it.
"It's YOURS," he said, "The first one you built for yourself."
"It was always yours," I told him, "from the minute I told John I would come to the class."
Dick had told us he was going to retire, and now he could enjoy the rod.
I missed him the last time I went to PT following a flare up of scar tissue. The other folks do a good job, but they aren't Dr. Dick.
