The "Scarab" Story

It was an ordinary day. We had just returned from a boat ride on the Chesapeake. Every year we were invited to spend a week at my Aunt Doris' summer house along the Elk River in Maryland. My aunt married late and gained a family when she did marry. I instantly got an uncle as well as three cousins. Two of my new cousins were older than me, while Robert was younger. Robert loved the water and was great at water-skiing. He even went to Florida to a school that taught slalom water-skiing. He would take us for rides on the river and the Chesapeake Bay when we would visit. Great fun. Then my aunt and uncle sold the home and purchased a newer one which was right on the C & D Canal. Another fun vacation followed at the new house. Actually we made vacation visits for quite a few years. Then my uncle passed, but aunt Doris would still have us visit for a week in the summer. By now I was married and had children of my own. Another cousin, Judy, and her family often spent the same week at the new place. Her mom, my Aunt Lillian, as well as my parents would also spend the week. Had so much fun! Like a family reunion every summer for an entire week. Robert by now had purchased a beautiful boat. A "Scarab" which had twin V-8 engines in it. It was the style and size of boat that drug runners would use, since it could outrun almost any other boat. Robert decided he would load most of us in the boat for a ride up and down the canal. Must have been about 7 or 8 of us in the speedy boat as we headed toward Chesapeake City on the canal. The breeze cooled us on the hot day as we sped along at an extremely fast pace. After a stop for gas (boy, did it eat gas), we started back to the house. Along the Chesapeake City borders of the canal you could only go 15 MPH. Robert drove while my dad sat in the seat next to him. Carol, Judy and I sat in the rear, on either side of the large padded cushion that covered the twin motors. Brynn, our daughter, and Nicky, cousin Judy's daughter, sat on the padded cushion. Now, I should tell you that Robert was kind of a show-off. He liked to impress people. As we passed the 15 MPH sign, he pushed the speed control quickly forward, to gain speed. And, boy did the twin motors pick up speed. The girls sitting on the padded cushion immediately started to slide back toward the rear of the boat. Since we were sitting in the seats on either side of the cushion, we were able to grab the girls before they flew into the water. We certainly weren't impressed with Robert's display of poor judgment. And he knew it!! It was our last ride in his "Scarab." It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.