A daring adventure

(Click to enlarge)
Pen drawing by Mark Chu

Years ago in one particular summer, my friends and I went together to a lake for a day.

That was when I met Judie.

She was 14.  My friends Woody, Harold, Steve, and I were all 15.  I was attracted to her, and I knew all my friends were, too.  Her short dark hair had a pleasant fragrance, the few freckles on her face made her smile cuter.  She came with her family: her parents, a little brother, and a big dog.  Her father was a big man with a mean-looking face, and a long thick beard to intimidate people.  Overcoming by love, however, we found chance to talk to her.

She loved swimming, along with many other things a typical adventurous girl liked to do, such as canoeing, camping, exploring the woods, traveling.  Though interesting, these things weren't unique for a fun-loving 14-year-old girl.

Except she was almost blind.

You would never guess at first sight, her eyes looked beautiful and lively.  Her left eye could only tell light and dark; her right eye was better, it could tell some shapes.  It was an accident when she was two, she said. 

But that didn't stop her from experiencing life.

She told us a story about a big cave on the deep end of the lake.  Rumor had it that there were strange creatures and plants that people had never seen.  She wanted to go there.  We thought she was joking, until she brought a huge inner tube almost as big as her.  “What, are you going there right now?” My eyes grew wide.

“You bet I am.” Her almost blind eyes were locked on the other side of the lake.

“You’re crazy!” Steve shouted.

“Maybe I am.”

“That’s just a rumor!  You won’t find anything.” Woody said.  “How can you see where you’re going?” Harold shook his head.  “That’s too dangerous!” I tried to grasp her arms. 

“I won’t find out until I get there, will I?” She quickly took off her shoes.  Before we could stop her, she jumped into the lake with the tube.  My friends stood there in awe.  I ran to find her father.  He shook his head, smiled, said nothing.

She came back almost three hours later.  She did get to the deep end of the lake, but she didn’t find the cave.  No strange creatures or plants.  But she managed to bring back some beautiful stones.  So beautiful I’d never seen in my life.  She gave each of us one.

Till today I have no idea how she did it.  How could she tell the direction, find her way to the shore, tell the different colors of stones.  I’ve never seen Judie since, but I still keep that stone.  It always reminds me of a young girl’s daring act. 

Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.