Day 24

6/4/22

This morning, Lilly and Ranger accompanied me to a walk down Memory Lane. This, mostly abandoned, boat landing is a couple cabins down from our lake place. I found myself0 reminiscing about an event from long ago...

The year was, roughly, 1969 when there were numerous grass fires in the area. Like most of the neighboring cabins,8 evening found us down at the beach. Families were enjoying a cool evening of playing, boating and simply enjoying the lake. Suddenly, sirens could be heard and they were approaching rapidly!

All the beach dwellers started to move towards the landing as the sirens stopped, but red lights continued to flash. A fire truck backed it's way down to the water at an outrageous speed. There was soon a crowd of 20 or more onlookers as an extremely officious fire fighter climbed out of the cab yelling at all of us to, "STAND BACK"! Picture Barney Fife without his one bullet!

Now this group of neighbors was a friendly, supportive bunch who only wanted to help in any possible way. The fireman continued to scold, order and almost threaten all of us as he filled the truck with water from the lake.

Two of the men present were my dear father and his best friend, Bob. I can't imagine finding two more wonderful, genteel and honorable men! As the fire fighter climbed to his perch with one last warning to the crowd, we watched in fascination as the truck's tires dug deeper and deeper into the sand. When "Barney" realized he was hopelessly stuck, he jumped down and approached us with a request for a push! Most of us looked at Bob and Dad for our cue when both men exchanged a look and slowly turned around to head home. As the entire entourage silently followed suit, we could hear the truck emptying the water.

The lessons here might just be to accept help when it's offered and don't bite the hand that might feed you! Ranger and Lilly would agree!