MAKING DAD PROUD
(subtitle: Help from Uncle Ter)
I'm the oldest child and some of my first and fondest memories involve sailing with my Dad in our big wooden sailboat. As the story goes, my parents took their wedding haul ($200.00) and did what every broke, newlywed couple does........they bought an old sailboat. As I said, it was BIG. It was also deep hulled and heavy. Needless to say, everyone on the lake knew the boat and it always drew lots of attention. As a little girl my father taught me to sail on this boat. I remember taking it out by myself often. I guess he figured there was no way I could get in trouble in the 'ol girl. He also had defied this boat to EVER tip over. For years, putting it to the test, pushing the limits, we were never able to roll it over. That challenge became an ongoing quest.
My Uncle Terry and Aunt Ginny were at the lake for one of their summer visits. As we often did, my uncle and I went out for a sail. That day; I'll never understand exactly what occurred differently than any other day. We were sailing high, enjoying a gorgeous day. We had the boat at its optimum, only this time it went right on over! Terry and I ended up in the belly of the huge sail. At first we were stunned, then we just started laughing. Within minutes there must have been 15 motor boats around us. Everyone was there to assist, throwing lines, but not quite sure what to do. My dad, of course having seen this from shore, was among them. He was beaming! I remember the grin that didn't leave his face. He choregraphed the rescue mission. We tied off lines and it took most of these boats to drag our sailboat to shore. My dad's pleasure was obvious to everyone. I can't remember fully, but it must have taken the entire weekend to get this boat bailed out, straighten lines, rework the mast and generally put it back together. Yet, my dad couldn't have been happier and more proud! My uncle and I, feeling pretty important, handled our fame well.
Just a footnote to the boat: It remained nameless for quite a while. Sometime after my sister Linda was born it became the " PATLIN" UMMM........always wondered how that came about.
-Pat Rafalowski |
