As mentioned before in previous lessons I sail. Except this time I am going to focus less on the problems sailing has with me, and more with the problem I have with sailing. The main problem being the boat.
In high school sailing you sail a dingy called a ‘420’. (I know it’s such an uncreative name, I’m sorry!) Anyway, these 420 are sailed by two people. The skipper – the person who steers the boat and controls the mainsail and the crew – the person who controls the jib, keeps the boat balanced and bails.
The skippersits up on the side towards the back of the boat and the crew sits in the middle of the boat and comes up to the sides as needed.
In the middle of the boat is the thing that holds the center board and a bar that runs horizontal against the center board and connect to the two sides of the boat. It makes a T shape as illustrated below.
_________________________ <-- (The bar)
I
I
I <-- (The center board)
I
I
The crew straddles the center board and their shins lean against the bar.
Now, as I said earlier the crew sits in the middle, but they come up to the side as needed. So when a puff comes and the boat started leaning to one side the crew jumps up and sits on the opposite side to flatten the boat out. This is called “Hiking out”
As you jump up to hike up and jump back in the middle to sit back your shins hit the center bar and become bruised. This is my complaint to the 420 makers:
Why couldn’t you have padding on the bar???
Anyway, after even just a couple sailing practices my shins are sore and purple. They look terrible and anytime I kneel down I am forced to jump up because of the pain it elicits.
These bruises hurt!!!!
Halfway through sailing season I had my yearly well visit. I walked into the clinic and was called into the room. I sat down on the bed thing they had in the room and waited for the doctor to come.
Soon enough she walked in and started asking the stereotypical that all doctors ask at a well visit.
“How are you?”
“Any problems lately?”
“How is school?”
“Are you making friends?’
Etc. Etc. The pointless questions go on and on. I wish they had an online survey you could take online before going because it would save you about ten minutes of your 15 minute appointment.
She checked my heartbeat, my ears, mouth, etc. before going to do a reflex test by hitting my shins with a hammer.
I had been dreading this part the entire week prior to the appointment.
I rolled my jeans up above my knees and sat there hoping she’d do it quickly so the pain would be short lived.
I closed my eyes and waited
And waited
And waited
And waited.
I heard a gasp and I opened my eyes.
The doctor was staring at my shins. Her eyes were wide and searching as she looked into my eyes.
“Are you okay?” she asked
She leaned in, “Is someone hurting you?” she whispered
I stared at her for a moment before bursting out laughing.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
My sides hurt and I was gasping for breath.
She looked so serious and I just…..
HAHAHAHA
I breathed heavily trying to catch my breath.
She stared at me obviously confused.
“No,” I choked out, “I sail and this is from banging my shins on the bar in the middle of the boat.”
She looked at me like I was speaking a different language and then shook her head. She put down the little hammer used for the reflex test, obviously seeing that banging my shins with it wouldn’t be the best thing for my shins before searching my face again.
She didn’t seem like she entirely understood what I had said but maybe my hysterical laughing had somehow convinced her that I wasn’t really getting hurt.
I pulled my jean legs back down and slipped my shoes on.She asked a few more questions and then she left, dismissing me to go home.
I walked out of the doctor’s office and laughed again.
Lesson Learned:
There is no such thing as smooth sailing.
YOU ARE READING
29 Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
Non-FictionA moderns teen's guide to what NOT to do... and how to survive it if you do.
