Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020 - 26

NOTES from theStreams
That's my lunch

While on the job as Waterways
Conservation Officers (WCOs), we
sometimes witness the beauty of
nature. While I was on boat patrol
on the Fourth of July with WCO
Jonathan R. Kay, we witnessed an
amazing sight. As we cruised across
Lake Arthur, Butler County, we saw
an osprey flying around in search of
food. Suddenly, the osprey swooped
down in front of us and grabbed a
fish from the water. This was really
cool to witness, but what happened
next was even better. As the osprey
was flying away with its lunch, a
bald eagle came soaring down and
hit the osprey like a wrecking ball,
causing the osprey to drop the
fish. As the osprey was struggling
to regain flight, the bald eagle
snagged the fish that fell to the water
and flew off with it. The osprey
chased the eagle, but the eagle
was too powerful of a match for
the osprey.-WCO Timothy Haas,
Lawrence and Butler counties.

Dentist visit

As WCOs, sometimes our work
and personal lives blend together in
unexpected ways. Neighbors may
have an idea about our occupation
since our patrol vehicles may be
parked at our residence, or they may
see us in uniform. Most WCOs try
to keep work life and personal life
separate as much as possible.
Like many people, I do not
enjoy going to the dentist for my
checkups. Keep in mind, my dentist
is great, the staff is friendly, and
they are always punctual. However,
I just do not like having someone
inspecting my mouth with sharp,
metal objects while I am reclined.
The experience makes me uneasy,
and I cannot wait to get out of the
office. At my most recent checkup,
the dental hygienist was making the
usual small talk as she reclined my
chair and started to working. All of a
sudden, she stopped and said, "You
are a WCO down on the river, aren't
you?" I could feel my pulse quicken
as I smiled and replied, "I am...do
you have a boat?" Sweat started to

illustration-Andrea Feeney

26

Pennsylvania Angler & Boater * July/August 2020	

break out on my brow as I thought to
myself, "How could she know that?"
My mind raced through the hundreds
of encounters over the past summer
with anglers and boaters, desperately
trying to identify this woman. Most
encounters were friendly, often
ending in minor infractions. Serious
or multiple violations result in a
citation. Encounters that involve
people Boating Under the Influence,
using narcotics, or people with
outstanding warrants end up with
the subject in handcuffs. Which of
the three categories did this woman
belong in and how much pain was
she going inflict on me with that
shiny metal scraper thing? The dental
hygienist smiled back and said, "I
don't have a boat. You mentioned
what you did for a living a few years
ago and I thought it was cool!" The
relief on my face must have been
obvious, but I agreed that I have
the best job in the world. The rest
of the appointment was completely
uneventful.-WCO Matthew Raetsch,
Western Allegheny County.

Chatty

I was in a home improvement
store to buy a shovel. As I entered the
garden section of the store, a sales
associate was talking to a person
about current events and past friends.
The sales associate did
not miss a beat in his
conversation
with this person
and did not
offer to help, so I
walked to the location
of the shovels. After a few
minutes of looking at the selection,
the sales associate came over and
asked if I needed help.
I said no and continued to look.
The sales associate remained standing
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Pennsylvania Angler & Boater - July/August 2020

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