WHEN I WROTE THE SONG OWED(ODE)TO DAD I TRIED TO PUT A COMMENT WITH IT, BUT I QUICKLY RAN OUT OF ROOM AND I HAD SO MUCH MORE TO SAY. FIRST OF ALL, LIKE I SAID,MY DAD KNEW HOW TO DO EVERYTHING AND I ALWAYS HELPED HIM WHEN I COULD, AND I GOT MUCH MORE FROM IT THAN HE DID BECAUSE I PICKED UP A SMALL PORTION OF HIS WORK ETHIC AND IT HAS SERVED ME WELL. BUT THE GREATEST TIMES WE HAD WAS ON THE LAKES, GROWING UP IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE HAD MANY DIFFERENT LAKES AND RIVERS TO CHOOSE FROM. BY THE SAME TOKEN, THESE LAKES WERE FULL OF SNAKES AND GATORS, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES HE WOULD RUN ME UP IN A BUSH WITH A SNAKE AND WHEN I WOULD SAY SOMETHING, HE WOULD THROW HIS LINE IN AND IF HE DIDN'T GET A BITE PRETTY QUICK, WE WOULD MOVE, IF HE DID HE WOULD HAND ME A PADDLE AND TELL ME TO DEAL WITH IT. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE A DOLLAR FOR EVERYTIME HE WOULD GET A CRICKET OUT OF THAT LITTLE BASKET, AND TWO MORE CRAWLED OUT ON HIS HAND AND JUMPED OUT IN THE BOAT. THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE SMELL OF THE OLD OUTBOARD MOTORS ON THOSE RENTAL BOATS WE WOULD USE THAT I CAN ALMOST STILL SMELL IT SOMETIMES. WE NEVER HAD A BOAT OF OUR OWN SO WE WOULD ALWAYS GET THERE WELL BEFORE SUNUP TO BE SURE AND GET A BOAT, SOME THAT YOU HAD TO FISH A WHILE AND BAIL WATER A WHILE. I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT LIFE AND MY DAD ON THOSE TRIPS AND I'LL CHERISH THEM AS LONG AS I LIVE. MY DAD HAS GONE TO BE WITH THE LORD NOW AND IF THERE IS A BREAM LAKE UP THERE I'LL KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO FIND HIM, JUST KIDDING. I LOVE YOU DAD