From middle school on, I’d seen a pattern with my peers. Those who worked on commercial fishing boats didn’t need to ask their parents for money. They bought their own clothes and lunches downtown, and eventually their own cars. They didn’t depend on our teachers to provide them with the keys to a career. In a good summer, some of the older kids made more money fishing than our teachers made all year.
And the stories the fishing kids had. Even my most adventurous summer camp or family vacation paled in comparison.