NBK Design: Family Story Collection
Journaling:
One summer, when the boys were 10 and 7, I decided to drive with them down to Ft. Myers to visit my father. My dad loved seeing his grandchildren, but he couldn’t travel much due to his back. So, we hopped in the car, and headed down to Florida.
Michael, my eldest son, loved my father. They had some kind of connection. Both are sportsmen, loving everything to do with the outdoors – fishing, hunting, shooting, boating – if it’s outside, they loved it. So, while we were visiting, Dad took the boys outside. They walked around, he gave them rides on his motorcycle (one of the highlights of the trip for Stephen), and one day, we decided to take the boat out on the water.
My father has always had a boat … the SAME BOAT mind you. He was born during the Great Depression, and for him and his family, if it was repairable, you didn’t replace it. I have many fond memories of going out on Dad’s fishing boat with him and my sister. He and Kitty would fish, and I would sit on the bow and get a tan. So, of course, I wanted to share this experience with my children.
Early one morning, we got up, prepped the boat, and headed off to the Sanibel Island Marina. I noticed while driving to the marina that my father kept looking in the rear view mirror, but I thought he was being careful while pulling the boat. As we came off the Sanibel Island bridge, my father looked in the mirror again and uttered an explicative that Michael still remembers (MOM – he said the “F” word!!). I whirled around in my seat to see the boat careening off the road on its trailer, heading for the beach. It traveled quite a distance before it hit the safety pilings, and the boat sailed off the trailer to land a good 100 yards in the sand. I learned later that the hitch on the back of car didn’t quite fit the trailer connection, so my father “took a chance” and hoped the boat would stay connected.
We spent the next three hours on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck. Michael read a book he had brought along and I managed to keep Stephen occupied with the nearby beach and discoveries in the sand. Michael kept trying ask Grandpa what he could do to help, but finally I pulled him away and said, “I know my father; just let him be … trust me.” When the tow truck arrived, and my father was otherwise occupied, I pulled out my camera and surreptitiously took some photos of him examining his boat.
We enjoyed the rest of our stay and the next day we drove to the beach and had a lovely time. To this day, Michael remembers our adventure in Florida and the story of Grandpa and the boat.
Oh, what happened to the boat? My father had it repaired … I guess you never outgrow your upbringing.
