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<DIV><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman">If your memmories had originated in
Australia, and, now I come to think of it! Florida would do: being
in a freshwater lake would have been of no comfort as giant man-killer crocs and
American aligators dwell therein, and they: well, the Aussie ones at any
rate: are just as ready to take a nibble at a swimmer as was the ill-fated
Jaws!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman">
Jewel</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman"></FONT><FONT size=4
face="Times New Roman"></FONT><FONT size=4 face="Times New Roman"></FONT><FONT
size=4 face="Times New Roman"></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=stylist@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:stylist@nfbnet.org">Ann Chiappetta via Stylist</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, October 05, 2019 1:22 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=stylist@nfbnet.org
href="mailto:stylist@nfbnet.org">'Writers' Division Mailing List'</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=anniecms64@gmail.com
href="mailto:anniecms64@gmail.com">anniecms64@gmail.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [Stylist] writing prompt</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal>Cue the Da-Dum, Da-Dum …<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>By Ann Chiappetta<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Spending the summer on Long Island sound is one of my
favorite childhood memories. My Dad bought a boat after the divorce and I
spent the first year learning how not to be motion sick. I was eleven and spent
each weekend with Dad trolling for bluefish, bottom fishing for flounder, or
diving into the cool Atlantic water when it got hot. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>One weekend afternoon my cousins were with us to go water
skiing. Dad had to be convinced because he didn’t want to use all his gas for
something so frivolous. My cousins actually coughed up the gas money and after
filling up at the fuel dock, we rode out of the harbor proper finding open
water. It was the summer that the movie Jaws had been released and terrified
generations of movie-goers, including me. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>When it was my turn to dive in and get help from my cousin to
help buckle on the skis, and grab the tow handle, I didn’t have time to feel
afraid. My adrenaline was making my hands shake and I was grinning like a
fool. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The boat drifted off, my Dad straightening the tow line, then
he gave me the thumbs up, and I heard the
throttle rise and the boat roared into life, I felt the powerful jerk on my
hands and arms but I did what Dad instructed, kept my arms bent, my
toes pointed up knees bent, leaning away from the pull. I was up and skimming
the water, then I hit a dip in the water and my skis flew into the air and when
I landed back in the water, they both flew off my feet. I’d let go of the
handle as soon as I felt the fall coming and floated in the water thanks to the
safety flotation belt. The boat wasn’t far off, already circling around to get
me. In that moment of floating I thought of the movie and I began to
scan the surface of the water, trying to look down past my feet but the water
was a murky green. I began to panic, closing my eyes and trying not to
cry. I watched the boat come closer, then gratefully swam to
the ladder when Dad put it into neutral. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>“Want to try again?” asked my cousin. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I shook my head and unbuckled the flotation belt. After
bobbing in the water, helpless and possibly being mistaken for a
meal, I was happy to only try water skiing again in a freshwater
lake.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Author<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>` Making meaningful connections with others through writing
`<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><A
href="http://www.annchiappetta.com/">www.annchiappetta.com</A> or <A
href="http://www.dldbooks.com/annchiappetta/">www.dldbooks.com/annchiappetta/</A>
<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Blog: <A
href="http://www.thought-wheel.com/">www.thought-wheel.com</A><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Facebook Annie Chiappetta<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P></DIV>
<P>
<HR>
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