As you know, I take my neighborhood patrol duties very serious.  Therefore it should come as no surprise that I’m prepared for anything and always ready to lend a helping paw.  However, this most recent event is proving to be quite a challenge, and I may need your help.  Do you know this Fish?  Recently I found this photo while on our morning walk.  Ok, truth be told, Asa found the photo.  I thought he was just carrying yet another leaf.  But upon closer inspection I realized it was a photo of best friends enjoying a day out together.  I must reunite this Man and this Fish with their cherished photo!

But who could they be?  I do not recognize the Man nor the Fish from our neighborhood.  Now that I think of it, I’ve never seen any Fish on my daily walks.  That can only mean one thing – that they are traveling the country on a dream road trip together!  It’s the only logical explanation.  After all it makes perfect sense that during the summer they visited the many lakes and ponds that Maine has to offer.  Then while driving along our road a gust of wind blew this beloved memento out their RV’s window.  Being a responsible driver, the Man had to keep both hands on the steering wheel, and the Fish obviously couldn’t grab it due to his lack of hands.  So that lays the responsibility of a happy reunion squarely on my shoulders.

But where to begin?  If I were on a road trip with a Fish, where would I want to go?  A quick google search tells me that Minnesota is the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”  That’s it!  I must go to Minnesota!  Besides I have a Twitter friend who lives there, who is always sharing pictures of her beautiful state.  But always the “Debbie Downer,” Mom is shaking her head no to my impromptu trip.  I guess she’s right.  The Man and his best friend, Fish, probably started their adventure there.

What other clues does the photo reveal?  The Man is wearing sunglasses and a hood.  That narrows it down to he is either a celebrity traveling incognito, in the witness protection program, or just very shy.  As a celebrity myself, I totally understand him wanting to avoid the paparazzi and simply enjoy time with his friend, Fish.  However, he’s also wearing a winter coat and ice cleats.  This is very suspicious because it has been unusually warm here lately.  Time is of the essence!  In his current disguise this man will be easy to spot on these warm autumn days.  However, if I wait too long soon it will be cold, and he’ll blend in with everyone else here in Maine.

When was this picture taken?  Flipping the photo over, I see that it was printed in March of 2006.  So apparently the Man and the Fish have been on this road trip for a very long time.  Or maybe not!  There’s a tiny pinhole in the top left corner.  Clearly this photo was hanging in a place of honor.  Now I’ve got it!  For the past 11 years this photo has hung in the Man’s cubicle at work, while he tirelessly worked to earn the money to relive this dream vacation with his best friend.  Oh that only makes it more urgent that I return the photo!

Since the Man is in disguise, the Fish is my best option at making an identification, and reuniting them with their cherished keepsake found on the side of the road.  So dear readers, I ask you, do you know this Fish?