MORE SUMMER... Ups and downs (Part 46b)

I got back into my routine where I’d go up into the clubhouse and visit with my old friends, Mr and Mrs B, and have a dessert with them. On one of the first nights they introduced me to an owner and his wife who lived not to far from my college. Making small talk, I mentioned that I’d been away at Summer school. They thought it ironic as their son had done the same thing. As we continued talking it came to light that he raced small sailboats like me. Then, the unbelievable happened. Their son raced the same class of sailboat that I did AND... he had qualified for the Championships just as I had. Since they were to be held fairly near to my home I asked if he was going to compete and they said he was.

We set it up so that I could meet him that following Sunday. He, like me, was back to working but was home to attend the wedding of a family friend. It was all very enlightening. I’d been in the area for two Summers and didn’t even know that they raced the same kind of boats only 20 miles away. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t know as I could’ve spent some Sundays racing. Chip was the same age as me and had been racing for about 3 years. Qualifying was the highlight of his sailing career. I told him all about the area he’d be sailing in and, because he’d only done lake sailing, he seemed a bit overwhelmed. He then started trying to persuade me to go home and compete as well. I told him there was just no way it was possible.

That night I remember wishing that I hadn’t met him. I just couldn’t get the thought of racing in the Championships out of my mind. I’d always done very well in the area where they were to be held. On top of that it was no more than an hour and a half away from home. I didn’t sleep well at all.

When I returned I’d arranged with AJ to get a few days off to go home when it was time to go back to college to get my things and to bring Elle back to her school. Registration for both of us was the day after Labor day. As it so happened, the Championships were to be the same weekend... Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I found myself using my waking hours trying to find a way to be able to compete.(1) I didn’t have much time because if I were to race I had to get my registration in by the end of that week. The only choice was to ask AJ for the time off.

To say I was nervous when I approached him is to put it mildly. Initially, his look told me he didn’t approve. But, I pulled an idea out of my a__ and told him that I’d use the time at home to try and mend the rift with my grandparents. He thought that was a good idea and reluctantly said it was OK.

The only memorable thing I can remember over those last weeks before going home was that I won the biggest bet of my life. A trainer friend asked if one of AJ’s horses had warmed up well and I said that it had. He told me that one of his horses was the best it had ever been. We decided to bet them in the Daily Double (you have to pick the winner of both the first and second races to win) and they both won. I collected over $100 for just a $2 bet. It was a perfect way to head for home.

I left at dawn the Thursday before the Championships getting home around 2pm. My father was really upset with me telling me that I had my priorities all messed up. He was more upset with my coming home to race than he was about the engagement announcement. Even though the races didn’t start until Friday I wanted to get the boat over to the site early so I’d have a good launching spot. I’d asked Elle to make sure she had both the afternoon and evening off from work so she could help me. Rick, my crew wasn’t flying in until late that night and I wanted to have the boat ready to go on race day. She was waiting for me and at least she was happy to see me. We collected all the stuff I needed and headed out late in the afternoon. It was normally about an hour and a half trip but we were leaving around the time that most working people got off. It was after 6pm when we fianlly arrived. I was pleased to see that the “greeter” was Peter, a fellow competitor who was a member of the host club. Peter took good care of me giving one of the most convenient spots. He even helped Elle and I push the trailer through the sand to out location. Just as he finished more boats arrived. I thanked him and looked over at Elle who was doubled over by the back of the boat. In pushing the trailer through the sand she “leaked” and knew it was only a matter of seconds before the “flood”. I’ll admit that knowing this caused the start of a bulge.

There was no way she could make it to the clubhouse in time. Although our spot was good for launching it was definitely a detriment as far as access to the building. There were probably a dozen other boats with more than that number of people milling about. Elle gave me a hang dog look and then just squatted down. I watched as I saw her pee pooling into the sand and then disappearing as my bulge grew bigger. She stayed in the squatting position for quite a while, finally standing and asking how bad the seat of her shorts looked. They were a light blue but where the pee had worked its way through they were much darker. It was probably 300 feet to where the car was parked and there were more and more people arriving with their boats so getting there without being seen wasn’t really possible. I suggested that Elle sit up on the deck while I finished up and that would hide her wet bottom. I proceeded to set the mast and the rest of the gear by myself. I was almost done when one of the twins appeared.

To be continued...