Home

 

A continuation of the preceding articles:

The author of these words finds himself on “vacation” in Hawaii where he took a thumping by the monstrous bonefish with their ferocious and humiliating jeers.

To console me, with the patience of an angel, my guide Ollie stopped his car in front of a store that looked worn-out and retro and he announced: “Here we are Fleche, this is where you’ll find the best “POKE” in the entire world.” Seeing my stupefied look he explained that “Poke” is a Hawaiian recipe which consists of cubed raw tuna marinated with sea salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, onions and it is “AWESOME”! Inside, the store was a complete shambles of old dusty stuff that one usually finds in these places far from the tourist centers: batteries, brassieres made in Taiwan, potato chips with chemicals, crayons for children, etc. Ollie guided us to the back of the store where a regal Hawaiian held court behind a display of “food things” that she had prepared… such as the famous “Poke”. It’s true that at first glance this “rare pearl” my friend promised didn’t make my mouth water; but, knowing his passion for excellent edibles, we bought 2 pounds of the somewhat bloody cubes.

A few minutes later Ollie stopped his car in front of a site so beautiful that it made me want to cry. There, at our feet, was the blue Pacific Ocean with huge rolling waves (it’s not for nothing that Hawaii is the cradle of surfing!) The sun was just starting to descend and the extensive beaches took on a rose/violet color. We sat on one of the rocks and I stuck my fingers in the container of “Poke”, trapped a morsel, brought it to my mouth and there my friends… total orgasm! The piece of tuna completely melted in my mouth; for the next hour we blissfully stuffed ourselves, it was obscene. Between mouthfuls, Ollie mimed fishing stories that had us doubled over with laughter. What a talented guy. If only I were a film producer! He then stopped playing the clown, reached for his bag and retrieved little plastic sleeves with bizarre lures.

” I made these” he said.

I had no idea what to say. These flies were probably the ugliest things I had ever seen; they looked like pieces of carpet that a clumsy child had glued together with glitzy multicolored fibers. Absolutely nothing to do with the “professional” flies, elegant and perfectly painted, that one is dying to buy at first sight.

“You see this Fleche, this color imitates bla, bla, bla… ” Well, those horrors made me want to get out of there… finish the “AWESOME” Poke, and run. I thought that there, frankly, Ollie was taking me for a tourist. Returning home I continued to think that until last night, when he sent me a photo of an incredible trout that he caught, he said to look closely at the mouth of the fish. And what did the trout have in her mouth? OLLIE’S FLY!!! Not only is this guy the best fishing guide in the region, he’s a damned terrific innovator and creator of flies.

Ollie my friend… I take my hat off to you!