ever so slightly to swallow, but it is imperceptible. All because of that mirror.School was nearly out. I was weak and very thin. Representatives of the school board, observing my slowness and pallor, informed my father that l was not well enough to return. Why bother for two weeks‘?
My father marched straight to the principal a woman who had been his fourth-grade teacher and begged her. “We‘ve got to help my daughter start feeling normal again," he insisted. “Returning to school is her reward for all her work."
l was given a chance. My mother made me a new plaid dress, and l wore red ribbons on my braids. But my sunken cheeks and knobby knees embarrassed me. The fattest girl in my class taunted me because l was skinny (which hurt my feelings. though l didn’t let anyone suspect). But my secret boyfriend stuck one of my blond braids in his water colors and made me feel like a member of the group again. l passed my tests at the top of the class, and walked out of school for summer vacation with the rest of the kids.
But my “work” wasn’t nearly finished.
Over and Past. My father owned a small sheet-metal company and was barely managing financially. He was eligible for help from a charity for polio victims, but he never took any money from them. He did contribute to that organization for the rest of his life. That summer my father went further into debt to purchase a lot on a lake. He built a cottage with his own hands so I could have water therapy every day. He taught me how to swim, to improve my overall condition. He decided sailing would be good for my arms. So he fixed up an old sailboat and set out to master the art himself first. I will never forget the sight of him heading off from the dock, the boat under full sail, with the book How to Sail in Six Easy Steps in his hands . . . and capsizing within 60 seconds, to howls of laughter from all of us on shore.
He finally did teach me to sail, and also how to waterski, to strengthen my arms and legs. Than to bring grace to my body movements and peace to my spirit, he showed me fly casting in the early glow of a shimmering sunrise.