Elizabeth Ulbrickson is the daughter of Al Ulbrickson, the rowing coach of the University of Washington. That's all you need to know.
"The Boys in the Boat" (2023)
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"What are you doing here, Elizabeth?" Again. I saw the missing word in my dad's eyes. What are you doing here again, Elizabeth? He asked, again. During this forsaken week I'd been visiting the Shell House a little too frequently.
"I'm waiting for Bobby." This was my chosen excuse, because it was somewhat true. I was waiting for my friend, but I was also trying to make use of the lack of time I had with Joe. Our free times, the holes in our busy schedules, were like parallel lines, trying their absolute best to intertwine.
Every time he was free, I had classes and, when I didn't have classes, he had rowing practice. Parallel lines don't touch.
That was the reason why I started to make my visits more regular to at least just say hi in silence, in the distance, many feet away from each other, with trembling hands from the reminder that he liked me back.
"I'm happy you're back." Those were the words that left my father's mouth that day, the exact words that crashed into me like many wrecks do.
I used to make this many visits, a while ago, months ago, when Anthony was still decent and I was still blinded by some manufactured love. I used to come here a lot, even more than I do now. My dad always liked to have me here and, when the ocean blues turned gray, I distanced myself from this place, a place that I held so close to my heart.
I grew up around rowing, around these oars and shells. I grew up with the river by my door step and my father's ambitions in the air. I pushed my roots aside for the sake of a once broken hear. And that was probably one of the hardest decisions I ever made.
"I'm happy to be here." I said in the truest sense of the words.
"Now that you're here..." My dad started.
"Putting me to work already?"
"Of course. Can't have you staring at the walls doing nothing." He smiled at me as if his joke was any good. It wasn't, but I couldn't help but to ignite a smile. "George needs help. We have to finish the boat for the JV crew before the regatta."
