Memory recall

Had a memory recall this week from something that happened a long time ago that brought me a chuckle. At the time it was not so funny, but in hindsight it has some comedic value.

I used to help organize and run some youth camps at our church. We once did a ‘waterski camp’ for the Jr. Highers at a camp that, for their own protection, shall remain nameless in this retelling. They told us all about their ‘private lake’ nearby that we could ski on, etc. Even told us it would easily accommodate 3-4 power boats. We got there with 4 boats only to find out that the ‘lake’ was only 4 feet deep at its lowest point, and was only about 200 feet wide at its widest point. Not a good skiing lake to say the least.

We discovered this the hard way after putting in one of the boats to do a test run. I prepared to jump in with a ski in order to see how hard we would have to turn to keep the boat a safe distance from the shore. I jumped in and promptly hit bottom, with the water not even to my chest. And I was in the middle of the lake. Not good!!! We proceeded to beat the tar out of one of the props as it dragged the lake bottom while trying to go anywhere. After also discovering numerous submerged tree stumps (again, the hard way – OUCH!!) and literally walking most of the lake looking for possible channels to drive the boats in, we conceded defeat. Needless to say there was no skiing that week, but there were some really creative games and activities (read as lame things that we hyped up to cover our lack of boating).

Funny to me how some memories can be funny after a period of time, while others still remain painful or awkward. What is a memory of your’s that is now funny that was not at the time?