| The problem with the pump and the rocks or gravel removal still faced the women. The boat sat solid on the shallow, sandy river bank; its pump end pointing to the middle of the river. If the women were going to take care of the problem they some how had to get the pump end closer to the bank. Neither objected to getting their feet wet, but more than that seemed out of the question since only now were they warming up from the ride up river. If they allowed someone else to help there was the penalty issue, which until now didn't seem to matter. The two women sat on driftwood taking in the beauty of the dark green river and the towering mountains. Just to the right a mountain had been cut clean of its timber and a herd of red cows dotted the bare patch. Two birds swooped overhead and several birds sang with one sounding like a human whistling. Kay was kneading her neck less and less and her conversation was taking a positive turn: the neck problem was not that bad and she was thinking that they should at least try to place, since they had gone to "all this trouble." Baby Ann just listened as her sister rambled on about the beauty of the scene in front of them. She had given Kay several chances to quit the race: if anything she seemed to becoming intent on at least placing. A hour remained before the race started. Baby Ann's thoughts drifted to her husband's excitement for the races while Kay kept up a steady stream of why they should take the race more seriously. A warm smile spread over Baby Ann's face , while thinking of Jack, and looking into the happy face of her sister. "We should fix it ourselves." Kay got to her feet, turned and offered to help Baby Ann up from the ground-hugging driftwood. "I don't know Kay, I'm just warming up." "I'll do it. . . . How are we going to get the back of the boat around so the water isn't so deep?" "Thread the bow line threw the roll bar then let the boat float out and pull it in parallel with the bank." Both women jumped from the unexpected instructions. Steve Moore shouldered between the pair, stooped to get the bow line to begin the operation when Kay said, "Not so fast. We're going to do this ourselves. We can't risk any more penalties." He handed over the line to Kay. "Go for it." Steve was a member of one of the other race teams and had been her husband's mechanic on their team. He promised he'd take care of any problems they may have while racing. Baby Ann would have liked to have just turned the whole problem over to Steve, but her sister was determined to save the penalty by doing it herself. (to be continued) |
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| The two women followed the instructions to the letter and now both pulled hard getting the boat up on the sand. Kay handed over the bow line to Baby Ann and waded into the icy water. Baby Ann barked instructions on how to get the hatch open to dig the rocks out. It seemed to take forever. Kay sloshed back onto the sand. She was blue with cold, teeth chattering. "Should have let Steve do it." Baby Ann said to her much too cheerful but cold sister. "I'll be okay. How long before we start the race?" Two boats were on the ramp, ready to be put back in, and race suits and helmets were being collected. "Not long. Fifteen minutes at most." Kay took her shoes and socks off and rubbed her feet. "You know, I thought I would just sit back and enjoy the ride ." Kay kneaded and twisted her foot, then said, "I just didn't realize how much fun this racing is." Baby Ann nodded in agreement, just as Steve sat himself down at Kay's feet and took the unattended foot up and began massaging it. "This doesn't count as "helping," he said while smiling down at the red enameled toenails. Kay threw her blonde mane over her shoulder and made little groans of pleasue as Steve continued warming her foot. "Only four B-Class boats in the race." he said, as Kay indicated that was enough. "What does that mean for us?" "Stay in the race and you may place." Kay looked over at her sister still puzzled. "We need to do the best we can and hope the boat keeps on doing well, and if one of the boats breaks down--we may have a chance to place." Baby Ann got to her feet. Steve helped Kay. Guess I'll have to bleach my hair blonde, Baby Ann thought as she watched Steve with Kay. She of course was just kidding herself--having fun. Never was she jealous of her older sister. Never. If it hadn't been for Kay while growing up, she would have never been allowed to leave the house. Their family lived six miles from town and Baby Ann didn't have a near friend as Kay did. The girls could see Kay's girlfriend's house from their second floor bedroom window. The friends house was an acre away, which made it easy for Kay to visit with her friend often. Baby Ann didn't get along with the friend so she wasn't invited to the little visits under the cool cottonwoods. When the girls weren't there Baby Ann would sit and pretend she had a friend. Most of the year a quiet little stream ran and a convient log lay across it, making a perfect place to sit and dangle scratched, summer-warn bare-feet in the cool water. She was never jealous of Kay, but angry yes. Often angry. That was just the way it was. And then Kay got her car. This is how Baby Ann got out of the house. The little cottonwood retreat was forgotten and sodas at the drive-in was the "treat" from then on. Any excuse to get to town and the two sisters were off and sometimes the friend went along. By this time Kay's friend had a boyfriend so she, of course, didn't come along as often. Baby Ann chuckled--the summer of all those trips to the "library!" ( continued) |
| Women Drivers continued |