I didn't recall the rod from the written description they gave so I asked to see some photos of it, which they emailed to me straight away. When I opened the photos on my browser screen I was suddenly transported back in time, as if I had entered some kind of time machine.
I've made a lot of rods through the nearly two decades I've been at this rodmaking game full time, but this rod was special and so elicited the time travelling effect on me. Rather, I should say, that the person who got me to make the rod was special, and the memory of him is what took me back to fifteen years ago when the rod was new & on my workbench. He was a damn fine human being, at least in the time that I knew him. Even more, this rod was made for a very special cause to help some really deserving people.
Seeing the rod again after so many years made me remember a good man I was privileged to know before he passed - and it reminded me of that period in my life & my rodmaking, all of which was a pretty cool experience.
Looking at the rod I could see that it was in good condition - used, but well cared for. I always like to see that because it means that the fruits of my labor have been appreciated. More than that, though it made me appreciate the fact that the rods I make - some of them, anyway - will outlast me. There's a permanence to a good bamboo fly rod. It's something you can pass down to the next generations of anglers, provided you've been a good steward of it and it (& you) avoid calamity.
Maybe this is one of the reasons I was drawn to making rods. When I think about it, an object that endures is a special thing. How long did your previous TV work? My toaster didn't live to see it's fifth birthday. I could go on but you get my point. In today's world of disposable objects it's pretty neat to have my hands in something that will hopefully stand the test of time - & fish!
I'm pretty lucky in what I do, making fly rods. From the outside perspective it hopefully looks like I make nice fly rods that anglers enjoy and use to make many good memories with. From my inside view they're more than just fly rods. To me, someone I've gotten to know - at least a little - and had conversations with, and maybe even became good friends with, is attached to almost every rod I've made. For me that is, by far, the best part of my work.
All of this flashed in my mind while looking at those photos of that old fly rod - but especially the memories of the good man I have attached to that specific rod. All I can say is "thanks, Ray. Once again you've made my day"!!