The Sky’s the Limit: My Journey with Maryellen

Folding beach chairs and stools are lined up on the sand next to the dock in front of a chalkboard. Maryellen, Carolyn, and Beverly take off their shorts and shirts, and put them on the stools. A tall woman in high heels, dangling earrings, and a bathing suit welcomes us. She says she’ll be the ski schoolmarm. Find someone to be a partner, and sign up together and take a seat. Suddenly, Maryellen turns to me and says she should’ve asked. Do I want to learn to water ski?

My heart thuds, and I want to say no. But Ellie has been such a good friend to me and she wants us to be “Ski-lings” together. How can I not do this for her? So even though I’m nervous, I smile at Maryellen and say that we can be partners.

After a chalk talk about posture and safety, all of us in the school take turns with our partners water skiing behind a motorboat. Ellie is up on her skis right away. I always forget that she had polio; she never lets it slow her down. Even the ski schoolmarm is impressed by how quickly and easily she learns. And it turns out that I’m pretty good at water skiing, too. Standing on skis next to my partner and skimming across the water is not so different from skiing on snow. As I ski, the wind blows my hair up behind me and the sun makes the water glitter all around me. A huge grin spreads across my face and I can’t help it. I love the speed, freedom, and the feeling like I’m flying.

When the ski school ends, I’m tired, but I’m really glad I gave water skiing a try because it was really fun and it reminded me of how much I love skiing. As we change our clothes in the ladies room, Ellie tells me that she loved water skiing with me. She asks if I enjoyed it, too. I can honestly answer that I did.

We meet up with Mr. Larkin, Joan, Jerry, and Tom, and divide up between the two cars again and head home. We’re quiet in the car. I keep thinking about how good it felt to ski and how it felt even better to do something out of friendship. I decided to water ski because Maryellen is my friend. Maybe I can snow ski because Emma is my sister and friend. Can I be forgiving and stick with the team, in spite of the false accusation of cheating?

Jerry pulls into the Larkins’ driveway just behind Mr. Larkin’s car. We climb out and Mrs. Larkin and Mikey come out to greet us. I turn to Maryellen, and I tell her that I’ll never forget today, or one minute of the time that I’ve had with her and her family. I thank her for everything, but I think it’s time for me to go home. I have to say goodbye.

Maryellen nods sadly and says she understands. She hugs me, and then I hug all of the Larkins, including Jerry. Everyone goes into the house, and I pop into the camper and change back into my ski uniform. I click the watch, and swoosh.