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Jim Booth
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
| July 18, 2004--On Hatteberg’s People we talk about coming home. Jim Booth lives near Burlington, Kansas, but grew up in Cambridge, a little town in Eastern Cowley County. Last week he went back there to do a little cooking. |
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It’s a hot day in Cambridge. But not to hot to fry some fish.
As Jim Booth makes sure the oil is hot for his fish fry. Old friends make him reminisce.
“I might have to move back to Cambridge and do a little fishing on Cedar Creek like I used to.” |
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With about 40 pounds of channel catfish on ice, Jim Booth and his boyhood friends are making one fine meal.
“There are some connoisseurs around here so it better be good.” |
They are at the Senior Center in Cambridge. Jim and his buddies grew up in this town. On this day he’s back to fry up some fish. It’s his way of thanking folks.
“This is where I grew up. Everybody in this town was kind to me, even when they shouldn’t have been. I just thought they might enjoy it.”
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“You fished, hunted, played ball, and they would teach you to drink a little bit around here but of course, none of us learned that one.” |
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There’s not much opportunity in Cambridge now, but it’s the memories in this
ol’ place that count. Clothes swaying on an old clothes line still soak up the sun. As as you look across the land you see Purple Martin’s houses scattered among the rolling hills. |
But it’s the fishing that links every here together.
Fishing to these guys is just about the most important thing.
“It means a lot. You’ve got to fish.”
Some say it’s life or death.
Jim jokes and says it’s even more important than that. |
As the oil heated to 350 degrees, pan after pan of catfish jumped out the oil into hungry mouths just waiting for that first bite.
Looking around Jim said he misses this old town
“Oh, I always like to come back. I can’t find reasons to come back often enough, but I love to come back. |
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But the day was really about old friends, as Jim kids an old buddy of his.
“Dang you’re looking old.”
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Jim Booth just wanted to give something back to the tiny community that gave him so much. Sometimes it’s not who you are…it’s the values that you learn surrounded by people who care.
It’s more than a fish story, it’s a life lesson. |
“They’ve done a lot of things for me in the past and it’s good.”
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