Of River Rocks and Sorrow

Where do the female whitewater rafting guides go, with their tight cutoff jeans and sunscreened noses, when the first days of winter roll so dreary and cruel?

Back to heaven I reckon, where they do pass the time with granola and sit-ups until sunshine and joy does call them once more to the shore.

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Hey, has Latigo Flint ever told you about the time he fell in love with a female whitewater rafting guide with tight cutoff jeans and a sunscreened nose?

No?!!!

Well that's a crime I intend to rectify this instant.

Her name was Saphey, which was short for Sapphire, and her arms were strong and tan. Saphey sat me at the back left gunnel, the position in the raft closest to her. She taught me to how to paddle and read the river--showed me how the water draws and boils over sharp, dangerous rocks but foams harmlessly over the smooth.

I easily figured out how to tighten my life vest but let her show me anyway.
"I'm hungry for your love." I whispered as she cinched the top strap tight across my chest.
"I know you are." She replied and shoved us off from the bank.

Oh how the other clients did monopolize her time. I tremble with rage even now just thinking about it. They peppered Saphey with an endless string of questions about local flora, fauna and paddling techniques. Hardly a minute passed that didn't find some cherished item, like a flip-flop or a child, swept overboard--followed by horrified shrieks and demands to circle the raft around.

Near the very end of the run I managed to turn to her during a quiet moment.
"Saphey." I said. "This trip has seen many items, mostly flip-flops and children, swept overboard."
She nodded. "Yeah, that's pretty common."
I gazed across the water. The sun was starting to set. A pair of egrets flew in low over the trees and landed on the far shore.

"Well, every time that happened, we back-paddled the raft and retrieved it... all except for my heart. It was the first thing swept overboard Saphey. I guess I thought it would just sort of float alongside the raft and I'd be able to collect it at the end."
My voice broke and I had to bow my head and compose myself. When I spoke again, my voice was low and husky.
"But I haven't seen it for quite some time now."

Saphey sighed and inspected the blade of her oar.
"Yeah." She said sadly. "Unfortunately anything we don't manage to retrieve is going to drift for miles and then get sucked into the turbines of the hydroelectric plant down by The Narrows."

We rounded a bend and saw the riverside parking lot. We paddled to shore and tried to learn how to walk normally despite rolled up twists of wet underwear.

With practiced ease, Saphey told us we were the best crew she'd ever rode the river with. Then she jumped into a jeep and roared away up a steep dirt road.

I walked to the river's edge, sat down on the muddy bank, and waited for my heart to float by.