Losing a job is catastrophic and traumatic. But, some out-of-work Westporters report, there are a couple of surprising upsides, like spending more time with family, and the opportunity to make a previously-impossible career or lifestyle switch.
Add one more: free fishing.
Aquarion — our local water company — is offering no-fee permits to anyone who has lost a job. Fishing on the shores of 3 reservoirs — including Saugatuck in Weston — is usually $25.
“Looking for work can be a tough, full-time job, especially now,” said Aquarion CEO Charles V. Firlotte. “We’d like to make it a little easier for people to relax after a day of pounding the pavement to find a new job.”
It sounds like an April Fool’s joke. It isn’t. It’s a human response to hard times by a huge, often faceless utility.
And there’s nothing fishy about that.
(Free permits will be given out on Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Aquarion Environmental Center, 714 Black Rock Road, Easton. For more information, call 203-452-3511.)