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I knew summer had arrived when the garage door was flung wide open and the tarp that covered the outboard was removed. My father was a proud owner of a green outboard motor. We didn’t own a boat, just the motor. When summer arrived we would load the monstrous thing into the trunk of our Chevy Impala and head for the same lake that we went to every other weekend2
“Frieda stay here with boat motor and the kid, while I go rent the boat.”3
Mom and I sat by the trunk and guarded the motor from robbers. While we waited for dad to return, I wondered how we would be able to stop someone from stealing the monstrous thing. After waiting for what seemed an eternity, my father returned and relieved us of our security duty.4
Slowly he backed the car to the dock and struggled the motor out of the trunk. Finally the moment I had been waiting for arrived. He took an empty blue Maxwell house coffee can and carefully mixed the gasoline and the motorboat oil. Then he emptied the mixture into the motor. When the can was empty, I filled it up with water and within a few moments I had a rainbow in a can. How beautiful it looked with the sun shining down on it.5
“Rosemary, were ready to shove off. Get in the boat.”6
“May I take my rainbow with me daddy?”7
“What are you talking about?”8
“My rainbow in the can. May I take it with me?”9
“Yes you can take the can with you. Now get in the boat.”10
My mother stuffed me in a lifejacket that felt more like a straight jacket. A minute later we pushed away from the dock. My father pulled the cord on the outboard motor and nothing happened. He tinkered with the motor and pulled the cord again and again.11
I looked at my rainbow and asked it what it would be like to be a fish? Soon my mind took me to the depths of deep cool water and I swam the whole lake. I glided between tall seaweeds and avoided the bigger fish.12
A loud noise jolted me from my daydream. The motor finally started and we headed for the middle of the lake. After about fifteen minutes the motor sputtered and stopped.13
“When are you going to get rid of this piece of junk?” my mother asked father.14
“This is a Johnson JR-12, the best motor they ever made.”15
“If it’s so great, why are we stuck in the middle of lake? My father told me I should have never married a crazy Italian.”16
“You calling me a crazy Italian? You’re just a dumb Pollock.”17
“I should of married Stanley Sleshick.”18
“Here we go again, you’re still bringing up Stanley Sleshick. If you married him you would be living off of stuffed cabbage your whole life.”19
“At least I wouldn’t be stuck in the middle of this damn lake.”20
My father lifted the wrench and started banging on the motor and I looked at my rainbow and asked it what would it be like to be a bird? Soon I could imagine flying high above the trees and racing along with the wind. I would soar into the clouds and watch everyone below me.21
I snapped out of my fantasy when the boat started to rock. My father decided it was time to row the boat a shore. My mother said hallelujah and then they gathered up the oars and started to row. Unfortunately their rowing was out of sync. In a few minutes we were swirling around and around in the middle of the lake. I had a beautiful panoramic view of the shoreline. I asked the rainbow what it would be like to be a deer? My mind drifted into the deep dense forest with a little sunlight peeping through the trees. I would run down the trails with my other deer friends. When I came to a clearing, I would watch a happy family having a picnic. A little girl would throw me an apple and then I would prance back to my deer friends.22
A bump on the boat brought me back out of my reverie. We were back at the dock. It was time to put the motor back in the trunk. I had to pour the water out of the can and let my rainbow go, because it would be too messy in the car. I was sad to let it go, but I knew we would be back in another two weeks and I could go on another great vacation. 23
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Comments
1 - 10 of 10
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Fantastic, two stories in one. You got me into the boat with you, and I almost fell out laughing at the bickering of the parents (something that sounds like might go on for a 50 year marriage). The "rainbow" mini-vacations taken were terrific, especially as they took place in the midst of confusion.
Thanks for a nice write
Jim
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Ahoy! Mate!
You know, Rosemary, I am somehow aware of how modest and unassuming you are, but this is really a wonderful story. I love it.
Yes, there are a few suggestions I might make, and a few little things YOU could fix up, but the essence of this tale, its heart, is quite balanced, together and cohesive. Why don't you smooth out a few rough spots, sharpen a few phrases and sell it?
To begin with (literally) I would start with P4. Forget the earlier graphs. Just tell YOUR story.... It's a good one. It's funny...and it's poignant!
The little girl consulting her "rainbow" is wonderful...wanting to be a fish...a bird...and a deer! Anything but on that boat! (with the Johnson JR-12...the best motor they ever made!) I love it!
PUBLISH!
GA
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Nice story! I thought that the family owning a motor but not a boat was priceless! The mixing of the oil and gasoline in the motor oil can seemed to signal a vacation within the vacation. Dad and Mom vacationed to the lake but Rosemary vacatione to her rainbows in the motor oil can.
I enjoyed this very much
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That was a beautiful story about a happy family, i hav'ent really read much family stories and if i did this would be the best one. Thanks for sharing this nice story.
. Rewarded 4
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Beautiful story filled with a can full of dreams hidden within a rainbow. I think a great title would be "Rainbow Dreams". Thanks for sharing.
. Rewarded 4
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All and I all I liked it quite a bit, I noticed a few missing commas here and there, but nothing else (though I read a bit quickly. . .yeah, I'm rambling.)
Anyway, nice story!
. Rewarded 4
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Good idea--needs better organization
There is an authentic quality that adds some charm to this story, but it doesn't reach its full potential, due to some weakness in style. The opening lacks punch--I suggest starting with the event itself, maybe the bit about the whole family can be worked into the conclusion.
I'd develop the fantasies with more detail and eliminate some excess wordiness elsewhere.
. Rewarded 6
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Okay...having come from a very dysfunctional and messed up family I enjoyed reading about a normal...happy one. A sweet story.
. Rewarded 4
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Oh, this was adorable! I so loved the contrast of a child's imagination with the (somewhat humorous) real situation her parents had to deal with. Ah, do any children live in such free times anymore? That was a wonderful story. I really liked the rainbow-in-a-can! How clever and imaginitive, and how simple.
. Rewarded 6
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I liked the innocence of the girl - and the rainbow in the can was an imaginative touch. The story was simply beautiful, with that little touch of magic thrown in. I really enjoyed reading this.
. Rewarded 4
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