HOPE... for better times (Part 98d)

I enjoyed having Geoff as a crew and on Sunday asked if there was any chance for him to sail with me for the rest of the season. He told me he had a job back home and this weekend was the only time he was able to take off. I was disappointed but turned to concentrating on the upcoming race. At that point, with one race to go, we had two firsts and JR had a first and two seconds. If he won and we finished second, technically we’d be tied. Under the rules, however, I’d be champion by the fact that I beat him in head to head racing, two races to one. I’d won one championship that way (remember the twins). So, the pressure was on to win this race as well. As in any competition there‘s always the factor of luck and I sure had it. JR was leading as we approached the finish line and I was third. If we finished that way JR was the champion. There was a fairly stiff breeze but nothing more than we usually sailed in. I had pretty much conceded the race and championship to him when Geoff yelled out that JR’s main sail (the big one) had suddenly dropped. Within a minute we were sailing right past him. We finished second which meant I was the overall winner... again.

After all the boats were out of the water I went over to JR to see what had happened. As you would imagine he was devastated. His father interceded saying that JR needed a few minutes to gather himself up. He told me that the main halyard (the rope that holds the sail up) had broken.  I responded by telling him that I felt JR had sailed a great race and really deserved to be the champion. I remember him smiling, thanking me and saying he’d pass it on to JR.

By then JR’s mother and sister showed up. The two of them had been out in a spectator boat watching the race and both looked a little disheveled. This was the first time all season that I’d seen his sister (Denise). Even though her hair was wind blown she was just as pretty as she was the last time I’d seen her at the end of the previous Summer. As I mentioned, we did have a fairly stiff breeze and it looked like the spray from the waves had gotten both of them a little damp. Observing Denise it looked like her backside was more than just damp but it was probably my imagination at work. I remember that she was wearing peach colored shorts and I hoped to get at least a VPL before they left. My luck continued to hold as she bent over at the waist to get something out of her mother’s carry bag. Pretty girl... VPL... it was almost as good as a trophy.

When it came time for the trophy presentation I was feeling guilty because I knew I really didn’t deserve first place. I also knew there was no way to change the official results but when the first place trophy was handed to me I asked if I could speak. I told those who were there what had happened to JR and then asked him to join me. When he did I asked for him to give me his trophy and I gave him mine... at least I tried. He wouldn’t take it but I accomplished what I’d intended in letting those that were there know that he really deserved to be the champion.

As we were leaving JR’s father came up to me and shook my hand. I appreciated that but I wasn’t prepared for what followed. He told me he wanted to talk with me in private and asked if I could come to see him one night during the week. That really had me puzzled and very curious but when I explained the situation with Elle he then asked if he could come to see me. I couldn’t imagine what was so important but told him that it would be OK. As he walked away I took one last look at Denise and wondered how anyone could be that good looking.

The one thing I wasn’t looking forward to was taking Geoff back to the ferry so he could return to his home. Elle had to persuaded Marge to be with her while I did and she hated doing that. I hated it because Elle would be all over me about having to beg Marge but I didn’t have a choice. On our way Geoff hit me with a ”bomb“. It wasn’t that I’d already experienced enough surprises during the day but his was something totally ”out of the blue“.

Elle had given me a “shot across the bow“ as far as her continuing to sail with me what with three kids. She’d come close, a couple of times, of giving me an ultimatum of racing the sailboat or the car but it hadn’t come down to that up to that time. After Geoff turned me down when I’d asked if he’d continue to crew for me I told him that I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to continue to race and explained why. I told him about Elle’s feelings, the inability to find a crew and the frustration of the club’s apparent change of direction with the decision to feature the Windmill class sailboat. To me it was all just casual conversation.   

He called his father to tell him what ferry he’d be on and in the process passed on to him what I’d said. His father then told him to ask if I was willing to sell the boat. The question was so shocking that I remember taking my eyes off the road and looking right at him. When I did the car veered off the road for a short distance. Even with Elle’s ”bow shot“ I’d not considered selling the boat. Actually, I hadn’t given any thought at all as to what I’d do with it if I stopped racing. I couldn’t answer Geoff but quickly reviewed the obvious options in my mind. The most obvious was to just leave it stored in my parents garage. After all, it had stayed there for three years without being used while I was off racing horses. When I finally spoke I remember saying that I didn’t know but if I did decide to sell it that he and his father would have the first shot at it. I could see the immediate smile on his face. The seed had been planted and I can tell you that I had a lot to think about on my way back home.

To be continued...