“Humelabebulazeebulebubelahumelabebulazeebulebop!”
This will make sense in a minute, if you are a David Lee Roth fan. It’s Friday, January 21st, likely about ten degrees right now. I’ve had this story in my mind a while, and wanted to wait until the dead of winter to share it. Come back with me now to July 4, 2010.
We bought our boat last June from a friend, a 1982 Citation, 20 ft. inboard outdrive with a cabin in the bow. After a bit of cleaning and some paint, it sparkled, and we couldn’t wait to take it out on our maiden voyage over the fourth of July. Since our last name is Howell, I wanted to name it the S.S. Minnow. Bill vetoed that idea, and instead suggested the Pearlie Marie. I loved it.
We had a four day weekend over the holiday, and we took the boat out every day to Belleville Lake. The lake is rather long, so you can really open it up, has a public launch, a private launch with gas at Sandy’s Marina, a lakeside party store and a restaurant, Johnny’s on the Lake, where you can dock your boat. Plus, it’s close to home. From our house, we’re there in under 30 minutes.
Once we’re launched and the truck and trailer parked, we speed around the lake a while, the wind blowing back our hair is a relief from the hot summer sun. The holiday weekend was a busy one, with boats and waverunners. After a few laps around the lake, we throw anchor and I jump in to cool off. There’s not a cloud in the deep blue sky, and I’ll feel the sunshine later on my back where I failed to apply sunscreen in several spots.
Bill kept saying throughout the day how happy he w
as that I was RELAXING. I never relax. I always have to be doing something, I always have. Something constructive. There is always something that needs to be done. Until this year, I couldn’t remember the last book I read, because I can’t allow myself to sit still long enough. This weekend, we packed a cooler and since I’m not into fishing, a few books and my journal. We were out on the lake, and I finally allowed myself to unplug from everything, and just be. It felt great. While Bill fished, I basked in the hot July sun, stretched out on the stern. The boat gently bobbed in the water, rocking me to sleep as the water lapped against the hull.
I had almost dozed off when I heard faint music in the distance, David Lee Roth’s Just a Gigolo. Being huge DLR and Van Halen fans, Bill and I immediately noticed. Looking up from my beach towel, I saw a pontoon boat across the lake, cruising along, which appeared to be fully loaded with people. I sat up, grabbed the binoculars, and promptly erupted into laughter. On the distant boat, were 8 to 10 guys and girls, all of them dancing with each other, with beach towels on their heads.
Bill and I took turns with the binoculars, and shared a good laugh. “I want what’s in their cooler!” I had said. How incredibly fun. I still think of that summer day, even now as the lake is frozen solid and the frigid winter wind blows snow drifts across the ice.
In 60 days, winter will begin to melt into spring, and spring will warm back into summer days.. And every time I hear that song, I return to that hot fourth of July weekend on the water.
“When the end comes, I know, I was just a gigolo…. Life goes on, without me..”