My Father’s Watch Reveals
His inner workings.
By Dr Patrick ODougherty
My sister Margaret learned how to swim at Lake Calhoun Thomas Beach.
The instructor taught her how to dog paddle
And swan dive.
She learned quickly the points of holding her breath and how to inhale and exhale while swimming. She leaned mouth to mouth resuscitation at her swimming lessons.
My father James ODougherty was a sports enthusiast and baseball coach. Several of our St Thomas the Apostle baseball games were in Wayzata. After one of the games we went to a beach on Lake Minnetontka. Margaret asked her brother Patrick if she should try a dive from the dock to apply her swimming lessons. I said nonchalantly yes. She dove off the dock. She tried dog paddling to stay afloat. She got in trouble in the water and cried for help. My father who was wearing a beautiful gold watch with a brown leather watch band dove into the water off the dock and helped Margaret to shore. When they got to shore his watch which was not waterproof had stopped. A watch has internal workings. The internal working of his gold rim Boliva became evident. He loved saving Margaret. He loved the discipline of water and family and sports.
My Father’s Watch Reveals His Inner Workings!
My father was a good self-taught swimmer. He saved a few people in his day. I managed both a swimming and lifesaving merit badge in Scouts without really knowing how to swim. I got a certificate at seven and started dive off the high dive, frantically swimming to the side of the pool. Swam much better underwater than on top. I finally learned to slow down and swim well in college from our athletic director did a bathtub pool that was refilled once a week with very cold water on Thursdays. Old Rayyyy Ceee Johnson! declared, "Thou shall not yourinate in the pool!"
My partner, when she was over 50, started to watch videos on the Internet and has taught herself to swim very well. I'm really proud of her.
Ron