Complete fiction story of an all woman's race team!
RAPID RUNNER
CONTENTS
WAVE
AND
RAPID
eyes before tears started rolling. "Not a thing. Wish this fog would lift. . . You warm enough?"
Kay nodded. They had to yell, the Boice
engine was drowning out their voices. It was okay they had developed a good sign language.
From the moment Baby's husband died, Kay had
been at her side. They kept busy, at first getting
the race boat ready to be sold and then a few
times taking it out on the lake convinced them
they wanted to be the first all woman's team.
Baby pulled hard at the rope, dragging the boat to the end of the dock and away from the
Boice boat. She threw the rope to Kay and got
in. She hit the starter-button and gave it gas. It
rumbled once then died. Tried again, same. How
embarrassing, but it had happend plenty of times in practice.
Waves lapped in from the launching boats and a steady strong wind kept the boat drifting back into the dock and the beautifully painted Boice boat. Nerves and embarrassment were getting to her. She motioned for Kay to get out the paddles.
"Cold engine," she yelled. "Let's get out of the way of these boats." Kay handed over a paddle and questioned why with her hands.
"We don't want to make these guys upset. Let's just get out of the way." They paddled hard. Baby could tell Kay wasn't getting much water. She was pumping the paddle, just skimming the top. They weren't moving. The boat was drifting close in again, heading right at the Boice team. One of the team, decked in black with yellow stripes, stood imposingly at the end of the boat ready to push them off. These guys knew this was their first race; he was being helpful. It didn't make her feel any better. She smiled at him.
A crowd flanked both sides of the ramp. Baby punched the paddle between the seats and hit the switch. The engine coughed, caught and the boat eased forward. The nose came up as she gave it gas. It slowly sank down as she got it down to the five miles per hour required on their way out to the bay.
Entering the bay, Baby opened her up. Number 156, Naked Lady, was skimming over the water and racing like a proper lady! They gave each other the thumbs up sign....They were on their way!
by Linda Perry
A thick, cold mist hung over the mouth of the Rogue River. It was going to be a good day, in spite of the cold and gloom.
When it burns off, forecasters promised sunshine and warmth.
Baby Ann (as her late husband had called her) kicked at the pointed snout of her sleek yellow jet boat, trying to keep it close to the wood dock. She had failed to thread the rope through the roll bars as she had practiced, and now the back of the boat kept floating out in the way of the next boat launching.
A boat and trailer were backing expertly down the ramp with the pilot and navigator already in the boat. It went in over its wheels and the boat floated off. It was Justin Boice's boat and team. His crew swarmed around the boat and two of them had heads in the engine, revving it.
Kay came down the ramp taking tiny steps, keeping her speed down. Her cheeks jiggled as she forced a smile. Baby knew her sister was nervous about this whole racing business. Baby had raced with her husband as navigator so wasn't quite as nervous.
She was having a hard time believing that they--she and her sister--would be the first all woman white water jet boat racing team. Well in the U.S. she knew for sure.
Baby found herself thinking about her husband and how at this moment in launching he took from his wallet a list of things that needed to be done. He would tick them off
asking Baby to confirm that they were done then he neatly folded the well-worn list and replaced it in the wallet. She should have a list . . .
