May 28, 2006

Ante Up!

Red, Jen, Walter, and I were gathered at the pool when we noticed Rob, Shannon, and Kim getting their kayaks ready for a trial run around Coconut Island in Kim’s new inflatable kayak. As we watched them gingerly open the inflatable, bets were quickly placed as to how long it would be before the boats touched water. The person who was closest to the actual time without going over would take 5 American dollars from each of the losers. Walter, generous and assuming the best as usual, bet that they would have the boats on the water within 30 minutes. Jen, cynical and suspicious as usual, wagered that it would be 62, I, relying on history and Kim’s’ general disposition as usual, determined that it would be 90 minutes, and Big Red, out to win as usual, stated firmly that they would never leave. Cocktails were poured, and from a discrete hiding place behind the pool table we watched the action. The kayak unrolled, Kim, Rob, and Shannon proceeded to carefully inspect every square inch. Rob whipped out a foot pump and Walter began to sweat. The discovery of a small hole in the kayak knocked him out of the competition with fewer than 15 minutes to go on his bet. The discovery of the hole created much meandering from the boat to Kim’s place and back again. As the words “patch kit” were tossed about, Jen started to feel uneasy. 31 minutes elapsed, and Walter, always one to take defeat lying down, demonstrated a serious breach in protocol by wandering down to the waters edge to distract Rob. Kim finally returned, not with a patch kit, (the enthusiastic topic of a potential side bet), but with duck tape. Jen knew she was finished. As she conceded her loss, I was overcome with confidence. The clock ticked as Kim continued her boomerang journey between the boats and her house. With baited breath we watched as they debated who would use which boat when, realized they needed bottles of water, went to get them, forgot the paddles, remembered they forgot the paddles, and went to get them. When the first boat went in at 87 minutes, I felt certain that victory was mine.

Then Rob decided to use the washroom before leaving.

As Rob and Kim paddled off to Coconut Island and Shannon paddled directly into a rock wall from the neighboring marina, the next round of betting began. Same rules, same ante. Walter, generous and assuming the best as usual, bet that they would return in 60 minutes. Jen, cynical and suspicious as usual, wagered that it would be 83. I, relying on history and Kim’s’ general disposition as usual, determined that it would be 90 minutes, and Big Red, out to win as usual, stated firmly that they never come back.

We miss them.