Lessons

Its funny how after so many years I feel the need to apologize but that day I wacked you with the oar stands out in my mind as one of those unfortunate things that I can't apologize enough for.

As kids we try, try and try again to earn the respect of our elders. Doing something right for my own father became as monumental as climbing a mountain without boots, a coat or a Sherpa. Somewhere along the way I just gave it up as an idea whose time would never come.

I like to think that asking me to row that day was your way of restoring my faith in adults. I have to say that you were pretty cool about getting beaned in the head. My first instinct was to see if I could swim fast enough to prevent the clout I was sure was coming, but you just said, "It was an accident. Don't worry about it.", as you clutched your cracked skull, tears streaming from your eyes, and insisted that we keep going.

When the anger comes and I feel like lashing out, I try to remember that day. I try to imagine the mantra that must have been running through your mind at that moment. I imagine it was, 'Try not to kill him. Try not to kill him." Whatever it was, it worked and we finished the boat ride in one piece, although I imagine it took a couple of beers to really put it behind you. You told me to forget about it but I never really have and for that I wanted to say 'thank-you'.

Thanks, Larry.