TheBanyanTree: Stories

[Bonnie Brace]

Tobie, your stories have actually inspired me and caused me to reflect on my life. I actually  took some time and wrote one story out of my life. Something I haven't done in a while. So thanky you and please don't stop. I for one love catching glimpses of your life. 

Here is my contribution to the mix. 

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Swimming Across the Lake



Bunganut Lake Family Campground was a place my family went during the summer when I was young. We would move out of our house for 8 weeks and live in tents. Poppa would commute back and forth to work while Momma stayed back at camp with my 2 brothers and I enjoying the life of campers. 



It was at Bunganut Lake where I remember Poppa teaching me how to swim. He was a patient teacher who never raised his voice in exasperation. He would spend his weekends teaching me different strokes and the correct way to kick under water. By the time I was nine I was a strong swimmer.



The end of the summer swim across the lake was a big thing at the campground. The lake spanned a mile across. To reach the other side was the goal. My brother had done it two years in a row. He was the best swimmer in the whole campground.  The year I decided to swim across the lake I was nine years old. That didn't sit to well with my older brother since I was only a "kid" and a "girl".  Poppa being Poppa believed in giving everyone a "fair shake" said if I was willing to put the time into training I could give it a try. I was determined do it, so asked Poppa to be my coach.



 Poppa would sit in his huge black, rubber inner tube, he rescued from the inside of an old truck tire, smoke his pipe, as I trained for the race. He would say over and over again "Stroke, Stroke, Stroke, remember to come up for air Honey".  For weeks I would practice my laps back and forth working all the muscles in my arms and legs. 



One evening, just after dinner, Poppa and I went down to the lake. Climbing on his big inner tube he began to paddle out into deep end of the water. "Well what are you waiting for?"  He shouted. I couldn't believe it. It was time. Poppa and I were going to swim across the lake by ourselves!



I dove into the water trying to remember everything he had taught me over the past few weeks and headed out toward the middle of the lake. I could hear Poppas voice as he called out to keep me on track. After a while my arms started to ache. I was tired and needed to rest.  I stopped, looked up and began to panic because I didn't know where I was, everything looked so unfamiliar. I lost my train of thought and started to sink.  Before I went under a second time I felt Poppa's hands around me, and his calm voice reassured me I was safe as he pulled me out of the water and onto his lap.  When I stopped shivering, he told me to look up and there in front of us was the other side of the lake. I had done it! I swam the lake. My mom and brothers were waiting to pick us up on the other beach cheering and clapping as I proudly walked out of the water with Poppa by my side.



A few years ago I found my way back to Bunganut Lake. The campground had changed, of course, but the lake was a beautiful as I remembered. As I stood on the shore looking across to the other side I heard a faint voice echoing off the hills "Stroke, Stroke, Stroke, remember to come up for air Honey."



May your days and nights be filled with joy and laughter

<>>>>>>>>>>-----------Bonnie