Yes my grandchildren will exclaim, "Oh Nanna, How gross!" and I will laugh because the thought of my grandparents skinny dipping is hilarious and embarrassing and sad - all at the same time. It is just one of those things that you really don't want to envision. They don't seem to understand that at one time you were not gray haired, with a jelly belly roll around your middle, you didn't always have that fat sling under your arm and, no, those blue and red broken veins did not always cover your legs. At one time you looked really good in a two piece swimsuit. Hard to believe, isn't it?
About twenty three years ago, hubby and I had the urge to ramble for a day. It was a perfect summer day and we had a few hours before we had to start our Wednesday night women's pool tournament. We headed to the Flint River at Spewell Bluff. It has always been one of our favorite spots. We enjoyed walking the woods, climbing the mountain and swimming to the boulder.
We stopped at the convenience store and got a Coke and a pack of crackers and headed up to the bluff. We stopped at the lookout enjoying the view of the river. The dark thread of water ran around and through the mountain over the rocks and disappeared into the trees. Higher than the hawks that were searching the river for food, we sat and watched - so much to see and oh so peaceful. From our viewpoint we could see no one on the river. We made our way up and down the mountain road and entered the park. There were no cars around and it looked as if we had the river and the park to ourselves. This was very unusual as the Bluff is a favorite during the summer months.
We started walking and listening. The river was beautiful and everything was so quiet. We had a favorite spot we liked to sit in the rocks and let the water rushed over and around us, but today we didn't come to swim. We just wanted a few hours of peace and quiet. We walked around the point and up the edge of the mountain. Sitting down on the rocks, we watch the river as it rushed over the rocks and around the bend. It didn't look as calm at the edge as it had from the lookout, but was still beautiful.
I was wishing I had brought my suit and so had hubby. It had really gotten warm and the water was very inviting. With no one else in the park and no fisherman on the river, we decided to sit in the rocks in the buff. Shucking off our clothes we walked across the rocks to our favorite spot and settled in. The water felt so good rushing over us, pounding our shoulders and back, giving us a good massage while calming our weary minds and bodies. Relaxed and close to sleep, we head the talking. Modest me automatically went into a panic. Hubby told me to just sit still, no one could see anything but out heads and the fishermen would just go on by. I had settled down by the time the boat rounded the bend just to really panic when a voice over my head said "Hold up there. I need to check your license." Where in the world that game warden came from, I will never know, nor how long he had stood over us waiting on the boar to appear. See, I told you we were relaxed!
The fishermen - my father-in-law and brother-in-law - instantly recognizes us and while motoring over to the game warden decided to sit and chat a while. I couldn't move. Hubby finally advised that he didn't mean to be rude, but that Dad and Brother really needed to move on down the river. Brother realized what the problem was and could not stop laughing. Dad looking hurt and confused kept repeating "okay son, okay." The game warden tipped his hat, commented on the weather, an bid us a good day. Still not sure we were alone once more, it took hubby quite a while to get me to come out of the water.
What had been one of the most peaceful days I could ever remember turned into a mass of confusion and panic. It still is fresh in my mind 23 years later and as I am sitting here writing the story my face is blushed and my heart beat accelerated. Many years later, hubby served with the same game warden. Gentleman that he is, he never mentioned the incident. Thank you, Mr. Gore!
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