He Told Me To Wear My Lifejacket

Come aboard, and take your seat. I was the new guy and the person training me in told me to put my life jacket on. He didn't tell me that I would need it on the first trip out. And he didn't tell me that if I fell in, he wouldn't be able to help me. Well, he did tell me once I fell in.

It was a beautiful day and the water was clear and calm. Seemingly perfect for a nice ride down a lazy river.

I had taken the summer off from classes at the University to make a few extra dollars to help support me in the coming school year. This job didn't pay much but I had gone ricing as a kid and knew how to pole and this job would be similar to that.

Although I wasn't a strong swimmer I always thought I could float forever. As a kid that was my favorite thing to do in the water. And I could doggy paddle.

After we picked up our first passengers, we started down the river for our first trip of the week. They were well dressed and it seemed they were interested in a quiet lazy ride.

Everything was going well until the lazy river ride became a stronger more rapid trip. No one was wearing life jackets but because it was my first day on the job and I was standing at the back guiding the boat, the vest was suggested again.

No, I would be fine, I said. I was too busy guiding the boat to put on a life vest anyway. The person assigned to train me was about my age and had worked there in high school. He wasn't much help as there he sat on his phone.

He told me later that he had been with a friend who was choking and couldn't help him either. He had to ask the kitchen staff to help with the Heimlich maneuver. His friend lived but he wasn't happy with him. And they were still friends but his friend would tease him all the time.

So what happened was there was something in the river that caught the pole, just as we were picking up speed in our travels that day. I couldn't pull it loose and didn't let go as I was pulled overboard! My assistant didn't move.

As I went overboard, I thought, "What the hell is happening." Then as I slid down into the water I thought, "This never happened when I was ricing!"

Then my helper hollered, "I would like to help you but I can't!" So the boat continued and I was on my own. I felt more worried about the passengers that were left with my assistant who would like to help but couldn't.

What might happen if others needed help?

Someone called for help and it wasn't long before I was rescued and we moved on to rescue the boat with the passengers. Thankfully everyone was okay.

All were grateful for being safe and thanked me, even though I had nothing to do with the rescue. I did help the passengers to get off the boat and onto the landing. And they told me that they were thankful that I didn't drown when they lost sight of me.

I decided it probably wasn't a job I wanted for the summer after all and I still had time to take a few summer classes. I thought maybe I didn't need a summer break if it meant I would finish later and wouldn't start my career in finance as soon as I planned where I knew I would make the big dollars.

Months later I was ricing when our boat tipped and I went overboard, along with my ricing partner! Probably for the best as we decided we were not ricing anymore together. My girlfriend hated the worms, and the flies and she got some itchiness.

Then being soaked, with no wild rice was an experience I didn't want to repeat after twice in one year. I will stay on shore and not go overboard in this way again!