Watching the sunrise from the balcony of our vacation rental was a morning ritual. Long before the noisy pleasure boats and jet skiers hit the scene, it was just the ocean, the sun, an occasional pelican, and one lone fisherman. 
Now there’s a man who takes his hobby seriously, I thought, day after day as he tended four long rods at the edge of the water. Probably a retiree who loves peace and quiet.
One morning I walked to the beach to search for shells, as well as to satisfy my curiosity. The fisherman was never still, I noticed. He moved from rod to rod, reeling in lines, replenishing bait, and casting far out beyond the breakers. His leathery skin was brown from the sun. “Do fish bite better in the morning?” I asked. “Or do you just love the solitude?”
“I like the quiet alright,” he said, “but catching fish is complex.” He took a rod from a tube wedged in the sand, reeled in the line, then wrapped his hand around the large, flat fish at the end. “It’s not as much about the time of day as it is about water temperature, phases of the moon, tides, wind direction, migratory patterns… Ever seen a Pompano?” he asked, holding up the white fish. I hadn’t, but in the following few minutes learned just about everything there was to know about the rich, delicate-tasting bottom-feeder. When he tossed it into a bucket filled with identical-looking fish, I suspected that this was no casual sports fisherman.
He reached into an apron pocket and picked up a handful of tiny white crab-like crustaceans about an inch long. “Sand fleas,” he said, reading my mind. As he threaded one onto the empty hook, he explained that ‘fleas’ were currently running on the local beaches. “I spend my afternoons fishing and harvesting ‘fleas’ with a rake.” He was both articulate and knowledgeable as he talked about local fish, predators and milky waters, water pollution, and politics as it affects the Florida fishing industry.
I told him about my mother’s family in Virginia — oystermen, crabbers and commercial fishermen. “My grandfather and uncle were fish boat captains; they made a good living for many years catching Menhaden.
Rich listened as he went about his work. “Well, as you can see, I’m a surf fisherman; I can’t afford a boat.” He began gathering his gear. “I have to get these fish to some restaurants, but I’ll be back here on the beach about 3:30 this afternoon. If you’re interested, I have an incredible story for you.” I’m a sucker for incredible stories, so naturally I went, and I’m glad. As Rich’s timely, American saga unfolded, one thing became clear: It needed to be told on mikeroweWORKS.
Born in New York in 1947, Rich was the son of an Italian immigrant. In Trieste, his father had been an artist, trained in the restoration of church paintings. In America, he painted houses. From the age of five, Rich worked alongside his father prepping, priming, and painting. They worked six days a week in the summer. Sundays were spent in the family row boat catching fish, crabs, and clams for dinners the following week.
“We ate ‘fish’ six days a week,” he remembered. In 1959 when he was twelve, Rich moved to South Florida where he and his father continued painting, as well as fishing in earnest. By the time he was seventeen, he was sick of sanding, caulking, and painting, and left his father to work at a tackle shop and marina. Earning $1.50 an hour scraping the barnacles off hulls, he put himself through four years of college.
Thanks to his greatest asset, his ‘people skills,’ Rich found his niche in sales and before long began realizing the American dream. At the height of his success as a straight-commissioned sales rep for several companies, he and his wife and children enjoyed the material comforts of life, including grand houses, boats, and expensive vacations. For just one of the companies he represented, Rich was responsible for $6,000,000. in sales annually for ten consecutive years.
Sadly, the good times came to an end. There were business reversals, foolish decisions, bad luck, and most recently, a dwindling economy. Rich lost his entire fortune and the comfortable lifestyle he had grown accustomed to. His last successful business year was in 2004. Even with his great contacts and referrals, companies were not interested in hiring a man in his fifties. By late 2007, with financing tight, sales for his major company had plummeted 80% with huge staff lay-offs.
With his 401(k) gone, and no health insurance, Rich turned to the skills he learned as a boy. Instead of looking toward a comfortable retirement, he looked for jobs painting decks and driveways and houses to supplement his diminished sales income. He swallowed his pride and asked friends who fished, to give him work.
Rich understands the irony of his situation. A few years ago, his days began at 8:30 am when he drove a nice car on sales calls and estimating appointments. With little spare time for fishing, he was raking in a fortune. Now, depending on where the fish are running, he rises as early as 3:30 am, spends 90% of his day fishing, and rakes in sand fleas.
“It’s physically demanding work, especially for a guy in his early sixties,” he says. “They call me ‘the ancient mariner,’ but I don’t mind. It pays the bills — and it’s peaceful.”
Rich considers the skills he learned from his father and his early fishing experience as his ‘personal stimulus package’ for these later years. “The more skills you pick up along the way, the better!” he says. In college, Rich enjoyed writing. That experience is coming in handy now as he writes a monthly surf report for a large local tackle shop and marina, where he shares his considerable expertise with sport fishermen.
When asked if he has any advice for people who have lost their jobs in this depressed economy, he suggests keeping an open mind.
“Stay extraverted and talk to as many people as you can. Most of all, get humble,” he says. “Be willing to try a job you used to consider menial.”
31 Comments
Moving story ~ Who would not love this guy? He has made and lost the (preceived) American Dream and seems to be loving life anyway. Now I dont know what makes a person like him, nature or nurture, but I’m glad to know that spirit is out there – “Alive and kic…Fishing.”
Cynicism ~ Back to the originaly question, “Who would not love this guy?” Here is this man, presumably a wealth of talent. Yet not being hired due to age. Why is that? Is it because older folks are harder to re-train? Doubt it. Is it because hiring them means the company has to pony up a pension sooner rather than later? No, it’s scalable. Is it because of the belief that “young” minds are better, fuller of great ideas? Might be the marketing ploy, but I dont think it’s true. Is it because they are more expensive to hire? Maybe. What the HELL is it?
Self-Awareness ~ Mike, I am embarrsed to say several years ago I turned away a man similar to Rich. He was practically begging for a job. It still bothers me today. All of the above passed through my young, uneducated, jr vp mind. Oh and the most prevailing reason for not hiring him? I just knew that in six months he would be bored silly with the job, quit and I’d be back doing the whole hiring thing again. Self-interest..my self-interest that was why that guy didn’t get hired. But “ying-yang” got me. I made the bright-minded hire and was back again “six months later doing the whole hiring thing again.” Luckily the lesson was learned and has not been repeated.
Enjoyed the story ~ and the reminders of what is important and valuable.
Best line of the story is Rich’s advice to “get humble”. Thanks Mrs. Rowe for sharing that story.
Sal
Touching,heart felt journey..I see where Mike gets his compassion and talent from! Thanks Mrs R for sharing this man’s journey..it reminds me .. “happiness comes from within” not from material stuff !! I hope that corporate society may some day..realize this very basic concept!! :-
Thanks for writing about this man. So many middle aged people have to go back to work because a large portion of their nest egg disappeared, or they’ve been laid off, and then to add insult to injury have had to find a job in this youth obsessed culture we live in, well this is just a great story. I enjoyed reading it.
Kay
This man’s fortitude amazes me. Instead of giving up when he hit such hard times he reached deep inside of himself and back to his past to find his way. There’s a song from a movie about being someones net when they fall. This guys net is the trade he learned from his dad.
Thanks Mrs. Rowe. This story was so uplifting and encouraging. Good message.
debi
Full circle…
Interesting story. My question is what was your take? Did you feel he was too earnest in his response? Would you be willing to accept the same circumstances? For your other writings you seems a pretty strong gal…does suck it up and move on strike you as the way to go?
Hi. Thank you for sharing this, in a way that put us there. Ever since I saw Mike Rowe on TV, he reminded me of someone. Is there a Jack Rowe in the family? Jack Rowe was one of my teachers way back when. He taught Creative Writing, and he inspired me to write. I am not a writer, but would love to be someday. Thanks for listening. I hope to hear a response. Mike is just as handsome as Jack was.
Excellent story and well told. Another lesson woven into Rich’s saga is to not succumb to lifestyle inflation. When he was doing well, things like buying good used cars instead of new, nice houses instead of “grand” ones and a camping trip or two to replace an expensive vacation would have put him a lot further ahead once the economy crashed and he became “less marketable”.
That all being said, I still have a lot of respect for the guy and I’m glad his story is being told.
Cheers!
A very nice read, on a Sunday evening.
Thank you, ma’am.
Jeremy
Janet said not to miss your article.I’m glad I didn’t. I’m glad Mike recognizes a good writer when he reads one.The story is touching . We never know what we are going to have to do or redo. Well I’m going to dig out my fishing rod ..just in case.
Great story Peggy. Many of us find ourselves in this same situation. In years past with the great economy, construction was very good to us. Now, at 62, David has had to re-think his business strategy to continue working in this field.
Robin Rowe
Wonderful story Peg, love how you saw him and his family.
I guess the fishing thing has always been a big part of our family. You knew and understood what questions to ask, sounds like it would have been fun for you. Working Vacation?
I’m glad that Rich was resilient and physically strong enough to find new ways to earn money. As a financial planner I wish he had lived beneath his means and saved more money so he might have had an easier time in hard times. But who knows what is for the best and I imagine he enjoys his life now. I just hope he uses lots of sunscreen.
One has to wonder, though, what Rich will do when he can no longer fish? His is a great story to be sure, but I feel a tiny pang of worry for his future.
If Rich had a choice between fishing and working in sales, I wonder what he would choose?
Good article, Mrs. Rowe.
Terra
Thank you for sharing this story at a time when I really needed to hear it. Funny how things like that work-) I have decided to take my work on the road from coast to coast instead of waiting for something to happen. This fall I am heading from Connecticut to California, stopping in all of the places I see that I can make a sale before the next season is upon us in the north. I plan to meet as many people as I can and network to get my product out in the marketplace.
Your story was just the inspiration I needed before making this decision this afternoon. Thank you Mrs. Rowe for writing this story and sharing Rich’s advice.
With Grattitude
Lisa
“Get humble…Be willing to try a job you used to consider menial” – GREAT ADVICE. In this collapsing economy of ours, we could all use a little of Rich’s wisdom. I was always taught by my grandparents and my mother that “education is power,” and, I believed in that with a whole heart.
These days I am finding that a BA in English and Literature can only get a 36 year old stay-at-home mother (who has been searching for a job for 9 months now without a bite) so far. I might not be the New York Times Best-Selling novelist I always dreamed I would be, but I am also not too proud to take a job I once regrettably felt was ‘beneath’ me.
I keep a great house, so I decided to put what I ‘know’ into practice for myself. Nurturing. Caring. Cleaning. (Record scratch shrill in the air). Cleaning??? I can clean like the dickens. Just take a white glove to my counter tops…I dare you!
Today, I am a caregiver for an elderly woman and I clean businesses and homes on the side for extra money. Instead of feeling dread wash over me when I come upon a filthy toilet, I grab the gusto and go to it!
I put my whole heart into everything I do. Rich is right, we all need to get a little humble in order to do what we need to do to survive, to take care of our families. I’ll tell you what…I don’t sit down on a public toilet without being grateful to the person that cleaned it anymore, and, I leave a healthy tip for the maid that makes my hotel bed. 
Thank you, Peggy, for sharing this. We all need to hear it.
I grew up in a small town outside Lansing, Michigan where all our dads, and some moms worked in factories building cars or were farmers. When I went to college in 1967 I learn for the first time that manual labor was not the preferred method of earning a living and I bought into that idea. As time passed I began to appreciate all that hard-working generation did for my generation. The snobbish notion that practical jobs like plumbing, auto mechanic and farming are not cool has been bothering me. So, in honor of my dad all those hard working people with dirty jobs, I wrote a children’s book as a way for me to tell little ones that work is good and satisfying and can even be fun. It is a story from an elf who observes all the fun other are having while he works making toys but he come to an understanding, “Elves like to work hard you know. Because we have brains that can learn, hands that can make good things and hearts that love to help our friends.” God bless Rich and all who provide us with the things we need.
“There’s class warfare, all right,” Mr. (Warren) Buffett said, “but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”
there but for the grace of god go i…..very moving story..
never forget where you come from…
I’m just wondering how his wife felt about all the changes. Rich is happy, but what about them. Doesn’t his wife miss the old life?
very inspiring
One word, WOW.
He didn’t loose the “American Dream”, he realized it. It’s not money or material things, it’s peace and living a good, simple life that you can be proud of.
Loved this article. We should all have his attitude – don’t complain, just do what is necessary – in the end it seems he’s found some peace and maybe this is a better “retirment” than he might have imagined. Thanks Peggy for this great story.
Send Rich my way!!! I have tried many times to hire guys like Rich. Too often I’ve heard the line “You can’t afford me”. I own a business that services industrial machinery. Knowledge is the currency of my trade. I personally can fix literally any industrial machine. My skills have been honed over 40 years. There are no 20 somethings with my skills or anything close. It’s guys like Rich that have the knowledge that makes BOTH of us a decent living. And, if the guy has any ability in teaching, he can help me teach the next generation.
So grateful you shared this story! Life is not generally predictable, no matter how well planned for. What an inspiration this man is! Resolve and committment to work.
This is almost my life lesson in history…. I was a farmer on my family farm and working a full time job besides. well due to economy too quick of expansion health issues and lost contracts we lost it all last year…. I was not a snob or even afraid of hard work at all,most of the time i would run on three hours sleep a day.All for the almighty dollar….greed only gets you so far in life… Between the health issues from lack of sleep and two family failed businesses, we now have came full circle.from poor to rich to poor but rich with knowledge and respect.It reminds me of something an old guy told me on a job one day.A man will work his whole life to get rich, and pay it all back for his health issues brought to him from his journey.I feel for this guy.I know what he’s going through.some people who have not work “menial jobs” will have nothing to fall back on in knowledge or wisdom…
So many of us are afraid of hard work. Here is someone who did what it took to survive. I am a paralegal in NJ now but I have worked as a maid in a hotel in Wyoming, working as a convenience store clerk, pizza place, hours of working two jobs, working as a cleaning lady. Living on popcorn on gravy. But it made what I am today and I would not change it for anything. Because of your son, I have a great appreciation for those who make our lives easier. I pass a building and wonder who made the bricks or placed the drywall and I am truly grateful for all of the hard work that they do. Your son is worthy of respect and gratitude for speaking on behalf of those who are so often forgotten.
Rebecca
Interesting story. You meet interesting people at the beach it seems. Diffrent kind of folks vs the boring suburbanite lifestyle most of us live.
I lost my job nearly 20 years ago and wound up mowing lawns while I job hunted. I realized I liked it more than any corporate job, so I went into business full time. The biggest downside to doing manual labor in this day and age is how others treat you. You become a social outcast if your friends are not also blue collar, it seems. If we can ever get mainstream americans to accept manual laborers as equals then I think more people would choose this lifestyle. I actually make more than most Americans, but because I get dirty doing it I’m considered strange by many of them. As if I’m mentally deficient.
When you earn money the hard way, you do NOT waste it on grand homes, fancy cars, etc. Income earned via transactions (selling) or a paycheck that shows up no matter how hard you work is more easily spent. This man’s problem was that the money came too easily, I think. Now I bet he is more careful with it.
Peggy, Hi this is Rich, the commercial fisherman you wrote so splendidly of last year. I want to honor the massive efforts of the New Orleans com. fisherman who heroically trying to save the future of their fishery. I promote all administrative attempts to fairly regulate the oil companies from drilling unsafely in any and all U.S. coastal waters. Previous administrators and lobbyists have created an unfathommable problem for the future of our oceans health. As fisherman we work exceptionally hard for fair wages and make every attempt to conserve our ecosystems. Florida’s waterways provide many of us a healthy diet of delicious seafood. Peg your’e columns help change many of us to approach economical downturns with greater directional diversity and open minds. Thanks Peggy, Sincerely Rich