On Sunday night, I met my mom for dinner at a restaurant called Joe Tess Place. People flock to this restaurant from the greater parts of 100 miles away from Omaha. They serve fish, mostly fried, and Carp is their specialty. When most people hear that, they can’t imagine eating such a fish. That sentiment usually fades quickly after the first bite. I have no idea what Joe Tess Place does when they prepare fish, but it’s the best tasting fish I’ve ever had.
My mom and I were lead to a booth along the back wall of the restaurant—not a section we are normally seated in, and I was quickly drawn to a black and white photo positioned on the wall over our booth. It depicted three middle-age women, in rather plain looking dresses that hung to their ankles, fishing along a river—presumably the Missouri River. Each woman held a fishing pole in her hand. They were positioned about eight or ten feet apart and all of them had a rather serious look on her face.
Unfortunately, the photo doesn’t have a caption. All sorts of things ran through my mind. Were they fishing for leisure? If so, they hardly looked to be having fun, but maybe they were just the serious types who were locked in a competition of some kind. Were they fishing out of necessity? Were their husbands away at war or working in a nearby factory? Or were they single? Who knows?
I love the fact that the restaurant displays such photos, but surely somebody knows the stories behind this and the many other photos displayed on the walls. The next time I’m there, I think I’ll ask about the three women.
