SCHOOL IS IN SESSION
It's that time of year again when students everywhere don ridiculous looking outfits in order to show all of us how smart they've become as they walk across the stage and get their diplomas, followed closely by the realization that life truly isn't fair, an acceptance that is hopefully followed by acceptance to graduate school so as to delay the inevitable entry into the real world. Remember, kids, it's a cruel world out there where money doesn't grow on trees. But I'm getting ahead of myself here. Let's take it one step at a time, shall we?

Think about your own school days for a moment. Maybe they ended last week, maybe they ended last year, or maybe you're like my mother and they ended during the Roosevelt administration. Regardless of the era of your graduation, everyone has a favorite teacher from his past, that person that was something special, above and beyond the ordinary, run-of-the-mill teacher. And if you're really lucky, you can name a few teachers who fit that description.

In my own past, there are several, but consider the example of Richard Barnhardt, my English teacher at Woodberry Forest. Like any great teacher, Mr. Barnhardt didn't have any single element that set him apart; it was, rather, a combination of his whole persona that made him great. He was able to relate to his students, and we all wanted him to like us, which made us try that much harder. He was just one of those people that you're naturally drawn to. I learned a lot from him, much of which I still use in my daily life.

The next time you see Andrew, make sure his tassel's in the right place.

Now let's shift locations to Nantucket, where we've got plenty of outstanding teachers. Young Matt Liddle - despite his past suggestions that I'm not the sun-shiniest of people - has a reputation of being an outstanding teacher. I've had the personal pleasure of watching Irene Egan in action, and she's pretty darn good herself. And then there's this big guy who keeps a couple of boats out at Madaket who goes by the name of Tom Mleczko.

And in addition to being a teacher, Tom's a pretty serious fisherman, too.

Now class, what you're seeing there is a prime example of what's called a segue. And yes, Andrew, that'll be on the test, so you should write that down.

Many, many people on Nantucket know Tom Mleczko of Captain Tom's Charters, but you might not realize that Tom used to teach in New Canaan, Conn. One of his daughters once told me the story of having her father teaching her class sex-ed, an experience that she ranked among the most embarrassing of her life, but I digress.

Personally, I can't vouch for what Tom may or may not know about sexually-related activities, but I can most assuredly guarantee you that the man knows his fishing, and, in true teacher fashion, he also loves imparting information to people who go out fishing with him. I've been fortunate enough to go out on the Priscilla J. with him, and the experience is as much about learning as it is about fishing. And again, although I can't vouch for what kind of traditional classroom teacher Tom was, I have to believe he was one of the special ones, because he has the unique ability to teach without making you feel incompetent.

On a recent trip with Tom, I learned more in a couple of hours on the water with him than I do in an average year on my own. And it's not just technique he's teaching. He knows all about Nantucket's underwater geography, and he knows just as much about the topography of the surrounding area. And if you give him half a chance, he'll talk to you about Nantucket history and lore.

But what he loves most is fishing, and a day on the water with Tom is a day spent learning about fishing first and foremost. Techniques, locations, the whole deal. But don't think this is a course for rank amateurs who don't know a leader from a Bomber. Mind you, rank amateurs are certainly welcome, but so are the more knowledgeable amongst us, because we've all got plenty we can learn, whether we like to admit it or not.

Friends and neighbors, Nantucket is graced with an incredible fleet of charter fishermen - both the gang downtown and those out in Madaket - and they're all very accomplished and very knowledgeable. Tom's just one of many, many folks out there who can take you fishing and provide you with a ton of information while you're out on the water. In other words, you can't go wrong picking one of these folks to take you out fishing. Just make sure you keep your ears open and listen to what you're being taught, because there's a lot to learn and they've got a lot to teach you.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to work. I've got graduation presents to buy for people I don't even know, and like I said, it's a cruel world out there where money doesn't grow on trees.

Tight lines. I