I was working afternoon shift that summer day. Mister came to get me about 11:30 p.m. Now when Mister is in shock, or near to it, he slows right down, in movement, speach, tone of voice. So as I greeted him, I wondered, "What NOW?"
He just said, "They haven't come back." Not even a "Hi, Honey."
"Who?"
"The boys." OUR boys.
Well, those boys knew just when to ask Dad for permission to do something they just might not be permitted to do; that was when Dad was just about dozing off after reading the paper.
Incident:
"Dad, can we go fishing?" They wanted to take a 14 ft. aluminum boat to an inland lake, which has small islands on it. So, o.k. It was a calm night anyway. O.k. to get Grampa's boat, but take only the small motor; do NOT take the bigger one. The motors were Dad's.
Now, at mid-night, no sign of the boys. And they had taken the bigger motor, too big for that small light boat. So Mister and I drove to the lake, about 30 miles or so away, making it near 1 a.m. on our arrival. Yes, there at the landing site was our pick-up. No boat. No boys. No noises coming off that lake. NO motor sounds. No voices. Adrenalin starts kicking in.
There was a camper there, tho', so Mister woke the inhabitants and asked them if they had seen any sign of boys or boats; anything?? No, they heard or saw nothing, but they had arrived there later in the evening.
Now Mister is picturing that boat upside down out there somewhere. He chose a cabin-lots access road that went around the lake, and drove to about where the islands were located. Stepping to the shore line, on some camp owner's lot, he called and called his sons' names. No reply. Adrenaline in full surge now. Knees and hands shaking. Breath short and gaspy. Then in one last DESPIRATE call, Mister
tried again. I could feel the hurt in that sound of his voice; the pleading, the praying.
The camp owner came outside, on that sound, and asked what was happening. Mister explained, tiredly, slowly...... feeling they were gone............ Fog patches were now forming over the water. Storm brewing ----- thunder in the distance.
Then, over the water, a sleepy, disgruntled voice ......" What?!!" One son answered......
With a deep, steadying voice, Mister asked, "What're you doing?"
Again, sleepy exasperated answer, " SLEEPING!"
All Mister said was, "o.k. Don't come home until morning." And home we drove, letting the adrenaline calm down, talking little at first, leaning on each other as relief washed over us. Then we started chattering; couldn't stop talking. But we felt quiet again by the time we got home ....... was it 3:00 a.m. or later, I sure don't remember now, because..............
Not long after we were home, the door opened, and in walked OUR BOYS!!!
Fear, along with thankfullness, sweapt over us once more.
Well, they explained, they were awake then, it was cooler and raining, as the T-storm hit, so they decided to come home anyway. Never mind the fog; they found their way across that dark water. I must give credit to Mister for teaching them the woods-ways and knowledge.
Something sure was missing in all this, though, and it came to light the next morning.
Yeah, they asked if they could go alright. But Mister, being half asleep or more, didn't remember them saying they were going to camp overnight there. Before we went to find them, I had checked to see if sleeping bags or groceries were missing, but none were.
They took only a tent and stopped for hotdogs. They had their camp fire, cooked fish they caught. Silly things, tho'; they just spread out on the ground and used the tent as a blanket-cover. While they were asleep it was o.k. Wakened, they were cold and wet, came home tired and cold and wet. We all slept good for the next few hours.
No, that sure wasn't the end of their escapdes, but they all survived to adulthood, now thriving with their own families. Perhaps their boys will give them such memories!!
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