Library: Oar Don't

Back in late spring of 1999 my buddy Danny bought a jet powered boat. It was a cherry red two seater, maybe 13 to 15 feet long, that the previous owner had used for amateur racing. Danny asked me to go out with him on his first voyage with it. I, of course, accepted Prior to going we stopped at a gas station to get supplies. Just the essentials, beer and a cooler. Having had some boating experience with Boy Scouts I pointed out that we really should have life jackets. Danny disagreed, saying that it would be a waste of money. I pointed out that they were legally required and a fine/ticket would cost more money. He reluctantly agreed and we stopped at a local hardware store that happened to carry some outdoor supplies. I noticed the store had paddles on display near the life jackets and suggested we get one as well. Danny absolutely did not want to get one. I pointed out that boats are legally required to have one, in case the motor fails. We argued for a couple minutes. However, he was adamant on not getting one saying it would look stupid in the jet powered boat. We drove to Mud Lake Marina, went to the dock where the boat was, and loaded it up with the cooler of beer and two lifejackets. We motored slowly out of Mud Lake and onto the mighty Mississippi, north of Lock and Dam No. 11. Danny took us down to the dam and back about a mile upstream of Mud Lake when the engine died. He tried to get it started again but had no luck. I pointed out how it would have been nice to have a paddle as we slowly drifted with the current towards the dam. We spent about 5 minutes yelling at each other about the paddle. Then we spent around 30 minutes using the lifejackets as makeshift paddles to get to shore, taking breaks every few minutes to argue. Eventually we made it to shore, though it was just a muddy bank covered with scrub bushes and weeds. When the motor had died we had been about even with a couple houses across the train tracks that run along the river. We climbed up the railroad tracks and walked about a quarter of a mile to the two houses. Once there we rang the doorbell of the first house but an old lady just looked at us through the window and didn?t answer. We approached the second house and a guy in his 30s or 40s came out and asked us what we were doing. We explained about how the motor on the boat had died and asked if he would be willing to give us a ride back to the marina. He said that he had been watching us and agreed to give us a ride. Once we got in the car dude pulled out a .38 special and told us if we gave him any trouble he?d shoot us, both Danny and I fervently promised not to. The guy then explained that he and the neighbor lady had some trouble with hobos coming off the tracks and bothering them. It was a very quiet ride back to the marina and once there Danny and I got straight into my car and left. Around a week later Danny told me he had gotten some guys from the marina to tow the boat back and fix the motor. Apparently it was just a loose fuel line. We headed back with their requested payment, a case of Coors ?heavy? and took the boat out again, this time with no breakdowns or guns.

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