Yesterday was Day 46 of the Papa’s Walk Challenge.
I took a late afternoon walk and watched as someone carefully backed their Sea Ray sports boat (mounted on a trailer) into their driveway.
That reminded me of the Sockitume, the speed boat that Papa owned. Our family spent many summers water skiing on the Sacramento and San Juaquin rivers. Both Papa and I learned to water ski on two skis, but neither one of us ever managed to get up on one ski. It wasn’t for lack of trying or not having great coaches who were adept at teaching the skill – we just couldn’t seem to find that sweet balance spot as the boat’s tow line pulled us out of the river. We’d almost get it – and then plunk, we’d fall in the drink.
As I continued my walk, I noticed more marine crafts in driveways including another sports boat, a small motor boat, a kayak, and a Hewes Craft fishing boat.
Boats require a lot of care and can be expensive to maintain. Papa told me the adage, “The two happiest days of a boat owners life are the day they buy a boat and the day they sell it.”
I know our family enjoyed happy times aboard the Sockitume – pronounced “sock-it-to-me” a line that was repeated by actress Judy Carne on a comedy show called “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In” that aired from 1968-1973. You can watch Carne sing her “Sock It To Me” song. My mom changed the spelling so that it wouldn’t date the boat once the show was no longer popular. Good thinking!