The sun sparkled on the water, the fragrance of pines filled the air, the sky was a vibrant blue.
My husband, Neil, and I had just opened our summer cabin in the Adirondacks and it was the perfect day for the one chore that remained–retrieving our old motorboat from winter storage.
I loved taking the boat out, and every year for the past 15 years I’d piloted it the 14 miles through a picturesque chain of lakes to our cabin while Neil drove our car. It was virtually a tradition.
Now, though, as we got close to the boat launch, I suddenly got nervous.
“What’s wrong, honey?” Neil asked.
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“I don’t know,” I said. “I just feel so apprehensive.” I looked over our boat, a six-seater built for waterskiing, with a 75-horsepower outboard motor.
It had served us well over the years, though the turquoise and white paint job was worn away near the waterline.
Still, it had cruised fine last summer. It was just how we’d left it. So why was I feeling so skittish?
“Want me to drive the boat this time?” Neil offered. “I’ll meet you at the cabin.”
“Deal,” I said, relieved.
Neil climbed in, fired up the motor and putt-putted away. I got into the car and headed for our cabin. The boat couldn’t go as fast as the car–too many waves and narrow channels.
So I was the first to arrive. Then the minutes ticked away.
After waiting for almost half an hour for Neil, I panicked. Oh, Lord, what if something went wrong? I ran out on our dock and looked out over the water.
Finally the boat appeared around the bend. Whew, I thought. Then I noticed… the boat didn’t look right. It rode way too low in the water.
Neil was at the helm, waving frantically. He barely made it to the dock.
“What happened?” I asked, helping him out. His pant legs were soaked.
“The boat sprung a leak,” Neil said. “I wouldn’t have made it at all if it weren’t for that battery-operated bilge pump.”
“What bilge pump?”
“I got it on a whim last summer. Guess I forgot to tell you about it. Good thing it was me driving the boat today. You wouldn’t have even known the pump was there.”
Or known how to operate it if I had.
