The summer after 8th grade graduation was great. I spent a week with Linda Hampton and her family at Don Pedro Lake and learned to ski. I caught on fast and did very well. In fact, one of the first times I got up I stayed up for more than ten minutes. Linda’s dad began zigzagging and going in circles and loops trying to make me fall. I don’t know if I was really too good to fall or too scared.
Finally I let go of the ropes and began to sink. I was way out in the middle of the lake. I wasn’t scared because I had a life jacket on and I knew how to swim. What scared me was I sank down just about to my chest when my feet felt something. It must have been the top of a mountain at the bottom of the lake. It scared me so much I drew my knees up to my chest and treaded water with my arms so I wouldn’t have to put my feet down and touch whatever it was beneath me.
When the boat circled around and came back to pick me up everyone wanted to know why I looked so scared. When I told them what I’d felt they laughed and didn’t believe me. Mr. Hampton jumped into the lake to find out what my feet had landed on but the boat had moved and he didn’t feel anything. I don’t know if they ever believed me or not. I was so relieved to be back in the boat I didn’t care.
Well, you are sure better than me. I tried many times on Turlock Lake, and never did get the hang of it to stay up. I think I drank half the lake. I'm a good swimmer, but gave up and never tried again.
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