Ahhh spring day in May, Sun shining, grade 9’s practising canoe skills on the Takhini River, now hanging’ around the Jaws. Kids chattering in anticipation, hoping for a chance to see whether the Jaws would be open, or closed… their fate awaits. Bob repeatedly says: “The river doesn’t care” further cultivating the anticipation. There I am standing with the teacher in front of the anxious group. I can’t remember the class or the teacher, but I do remember standing behind the group, looking straight at me rather amused was Bob waiting for the delivery of the prescribed safety talk. Bob, a wisened river guide with more river experience than I will see in six lifetimes… heck let’s make it ten lifetimes. And, with more rescue experiences under his belt than there are days in the year.
Standing there with a grin of a Cheshire cat, knowing I had about as many rescue experiences as fingers on my right hand. Now waiting patiently for what I will say or do to prepare the group. Rather than explaining that in the event of this, you do that; in the event of that, you do this, etc. etc. and more etc.
Just like that, I pull from my pocket, Guidance from a River Rescue Professional – part IV, by Bob Daffe (Whitehorse Star, Friday May 20, 2016) to read to this group of students. Emphasizing that the information was written by a professional river guide with words and pictures of real experiences. Before concluding the read, I present the author. Then questions unfurl with stories following to tie together the discussion of what to do in the case of this, in the case of that, etc. Thus concluding the safety talk I never did.
Often it is not what is said, it is how it is said. Preparing to go to our canoes and in passing Bob commented to me, “I didn’t think anybody read this stuff.” I remember replying, “I did, now they have.” At that moment, in that place in time, in a softer voice, I heard a quiet feeling of gratitude – an unsung moment of appreciation.
