Deep Sea Adventure

jcp-reallyThis was a long week but amid the chaos, I found a moment or two to think about vacation and visit my Dad’s grave.  This reminded me of the time my Dad and I went deep sea fishing.  It was definitely an unforgettable experience.

Now, anybody that knew my father is probably already laughing and wondering what my mother was thinking when she let an elementary school version of me go into the middle of the ocean with him.  I can tell you right now she was thinking, “How much trouble can they get in on a boat?”  Oh, dear mother, you had not idea now much trouble Dad and I could get into.  You didn’t know that on our walking trips to the pier, I refused to kick sand in the face of women whose tops were undone as they sunbathed, but ‘compromised’ by jumping over them.  You didn’t know that when Dad and I were at Father-Son Cub Scout Night and one of the kids was picking on all the others, Dad asked, “Can you take him?” and when I said, “Yes,” took bets.  We made a few bucks.  You didn’t know that when we went to the Nutcracker, we would both bounce down the stairs on our rear ends.  No, Mom didn’t know any of those things, so she sent us on our deep sea adventure.

Now I must point out that deep sea fishing may be enjoyable.  I wouldn’t know.  The boat ride out there did me in.  It was like some devilish perversion combining a washing machine, a walk on a trampoline, a long trip on a winding road, and vomit.  I provided the vomit.  As for Dad, he was on his best behavior.  He had a knack for rising to the occasion, especially when someone he loved was sick, and that day he was better than Florence Nightingale.  He watched a wave carry away my breakfast, got me medicine, a cold soft drink, and a cool wet cloth.  He nursed me until I fell asleep.  Then he threw up the rest of the trip.  Neither of us even cast a line.  By the time the boat docked, I was better but poor Dad was green to the gills.  I helped him get back to the hotel, and we both stumbled through the door.  Mom took one look at us and assumed the worst.  She got that momma bear face and said, “You took my son on a boat into the middle of the ocean and got drunk!”  Dad and I just looked at each other and smiled.  That time, we were both innocent, and Dad spent the next 35 years reminding Mom how she falsely accused him that day.

Source: David Swann