Back in about, oh… 1958… the family went to Madison Lake
for a little swim. Lunchtime came along
and we all ate. Mom told me not to go
into the water for about an hour, and I swear she told me that, if I did go in
the water before an hour was up, I’d get crabs… Now, being 4 years old, you know, anything’s possible. I knew about crabs – or crayfish – and I
wanted to see if what she was telling me had any merit to it… So I went in the water long before the hour
was up, and sure enough, I looked down in that crystal clear water, all the way
to the bottom, and there they were… CRABS!
They were just walkin’ around down there, just hangin’ around… I figured they knew it hadn’t been an hour
since I ate. Of course, I was terrified
of crabs, with their pinchers, so I, once again (refer to “Scamper and I”),
went screaming bloody murder to my mother, telling her she was right… I really can’t remember the expression on
her face while I told her about seeing the crabs on the lake bottom, but I sure
can remember her laughter when I was done.
Moral of the story?
Always listen to your mother, even if you have the understanding of a 4
year old…
J.C.B.