Awesome, the lifetime ban has been lifted! The Darville family have been banned from the Yarraville Fishing Competition for…oh, about fifteen years now? I was really young when it happened, but I remember it casting a cloud on the entire family. We built our honour on fishing, were upstanding members of the fishing community, all that stupid jazz. Then uncle Anthony just HAD to go and ruin it. We showed up to cheer the family on at the annual competition, and even at age five I noticed that the boat was missing fishing rod holders. I’d been out a lot before, obviously. Uncle Anthony just said we wouldn’t need them, then he and my Dad went out in their fishing boat as they always did, a perfect team. They even won the whole competition a few times as well.
But this year, uncle Anthony had the brilliant idea of using the power of electricity. He’d combed the rulebook and seen nothing that expressly banned it, so he actually thought that he could win them the competition that way. He attached jumper cables to a hunk of metal and we all watched in mute horror as he turned on the current, zapping every fish in a ten-metre radius.
Long story short, the judges weren’t impressed. There was space for a special ruling, he was disqualified, the entire Darville family were given a lifetime ban, and that was it. Except now they’ve shown leniency, so it’s time to dust off those old fishing rod holders that uncle Anthony so kindly didn’t use and actually attach them, ready for the competition. I’ve added a few extras to the fishing boat since then, after it basically became mine. Found the best stainless snapper racks in Melbourne, installed some shiny bow rails…so basically, we’re making a comeback in style. Me and Dad, probably. Don’t think anyone wants uncle Anthony back in the boat again.
-Barry