Geese Are Your Friends

If your dad ever tells you to go ahead and try something new because that's how memories are made, and it involves several geese, a lake, and a Jet Ski - think twice.

One summer, my parents and I attended a family get-together at a local reservoir. Kids were playing, dogs were chasing balls, barbecues were puffing smoke, really tan people were boating and jet skiing - your average sunny summer day. Maybe I should have realized it was not your average day when second cousin Tommy suddenly tipped backwards in his lawn chair and flipped his way down to the edge of the lake, smashing a small dog and crushing paper cups filled with various liquids.

Eventually, my dad became aware that some family members had rented Jet Skis. Still I was oblivious that this awareness had anything to do with me. I was happily eating mom's fruit salad and talking to extended family members I may or may not have known.

Soon a dangerous conversation ensued at the edge of the lake. Here was dad encouraging mom and I to take a ride on the Jet Skis. Two teenage extended family members could drive us. I'm pretty sure we were both reluctant. I'm pretty sure this mattered not at all, and off we went anyway.

I made it back safely. Mom was flung far into the water when they wrecked, injuring her leg on the way, but that's all right - she was making a memory. I thought my memory making "adventure" was over when I arrived safely back. Instead, there was my smiling dad telling me to take that Jet Ski out on my own. It'll be great. It'll be fun.

After a tedious and time-consuming 30 seconds of instruction, there I was, poised to gracefully drive off to the center of the lake. This is when I became aware of a few compelling facts: 1) there were numerous energetic boat drivers out there, 2) there were numerous energetic water skiers out there, and 3) there were numerous unenergetic geese only a few feet away. This gave me pause, but with everybody now watching me, I couldn't let on that these facts seemed concerning. Perhaps none of these things really mattered in the Jet Ski world, and I was just overreacting.