Off the Pier

We had little to no money growing up, though I recall a relatively happy childhood. One of the things we did for inexpensive recreation is visit one of the nearby finger lakes – Seneca or Canandaigua. I remember us fishing off a pier on a nice summer day and seeing crowds of people on the beach behind us having a grand ‘ol time. I very much wanted to join them (fishing was dull business, to me; still is). So, I whined and complained like a little shit for some time until Dad says to Mom “Let’s put him in his bathing suit and throw him off the pier.” At the time I could not swim and was deathly afraid of deep water, so I clammed up. I guess I was afraid they would actually toss me off the pier. Strange what goes through a kid’s mind.