Used to be a canoe instructor,” Ellie interjected.
“ You want to make sure you don't stand up, and—” the boy started to say.
“ Bow, stern, starboard, port, keel line, and three points of contact,” Ellie said. “Honestly guy, we're fine. Stop hitting on my girl. We have to go.” Ellie threw the life vest at Ria. “Snap it up.”
“ Ellie, really I think we do need some action background music,” Ria said. “I'm your girl, huh?”
“ For this scene, you'll be my girl and I'll be the hero,” Ellie said.
“ Does that make me the dim-witted damsel in distress?” Ria asked.
“ If the canoe fits,” Ellie said.
“ Hey!” Ria said as Ellie dragged the canoe toward the water and moved it sideways so the starboard side faced them. “Get in. You sit bow, the front, I'll sit stern. I'll teach you when we get on the water.”
“ What about my purse?” Ria asked. Ellie reached down and grabbed a plastic bag sitting in the dirt, shook the dirt out and handed it to Ria. Ria put her purse in the bag and set it in front of her seat. She used Ellie's shoulders to steady herself as she climbed in the canoe and sat down.
“ This doesn't have holes does it?” Ria asked.
“ Even if it had holes, this thing can still float when full of water,” Ellie informed.
Ria said, “You're a canoe encyclopedia.”
“ Like I said, I was a canoe instructor,” Ellie said. Ellie handed Ria a paddle. Ellie pushed the canoe out a bit, and with one foot in the canoe and one on land pushed the canoe fully into the water.
“Put the paddle in the water on either side and push it through the water,” Ellie called up to Ria.
“ Like this?” Ria asked as she reached the paddle out, parallel to the water. The blade hit the water several feet from the canoe.
“ Well that's more row boat style. Reach out in front of you, stick the paddle in the water so that it’s perpendicular to the water and then pull the paddle back in that same position until you get to your hip. Take it out of the water and then go back to the first step.”
“ Like this,” Ria said. She did a stroke.
“ Yes, exactly. That's a basic forward stroke. You're a pro,” Ellie said. She was already out of breath. She had been relentlessly paddling since they got in the canoe.
“ This isn't so hard,” Ria said. “Wait, maybe you're actually a pirate. That's why you have a secret identity and know so much about canoes.”
“ You got me there, Dr. Diaz. Pirates didn't use canoes though,” Ellie said.
“ Oh,” Ria giggled.
“ I do have this love for learning nautical terms though,” Ellie said.
“ I always wanted to learn them,” Ria said. “Teach me some. You said I'm in the bow. That's the front of a boat?”
“ Yes, and I'm in stern,” Ellie answered. “Starboard is right when you're facing bow and port is left. A trick to remembering is port and left each has four letters.”
“ Nice, I'm looking up nautical terms when we get out of here,” Ria said. “I think you just inspired me to be a pirate next Halloween.”
“ You would be one sexy pirate,” Ellie said.
“ Do you think Gwen thinks I'm sexy?” Ria asked. I start flirting with Ria and she brings up Gwen.
“ I don't know Gwen, but I can't believe anyone would find you not sexy,” Ellie said.
“ Really?” Ria asked.
“ Yes. I don't think I've ever met someone as good looking as you who doesn't know it,” Ellie said. “You really like this Gwen chick?”
“ Yeah, I do,” Ria said. “She's all I can think about. I know we've only seen each other twice, but we connect. We have such a good time when we hang out. We talk and text throughout the day.”
“ You text?” Ellie asked.
“ What?” Ria asked.
“ Nothing. Well, I’m glad that you’re happy,” Ellie said.
Ria said, “Thanks. Wait until I tell Maggie that I went canoeing on my lunch break with you.”
“ What do you think she'll be more impressed with, the canoeing or that it was with
“ You want to make sure you don't stand up, and—” the boy started to say.
“ Bow, stern, starboard, port, keel line, and three points of contact,” Ellie said. “Honestly guy, we're fine. Stop hitting on my girl. We have to go.” Ellie threw the life vest at Ria. “Snap it up.”
“ Ellie, really I think we do need some action background music,” Ria said. “I'm your girl, huh?”
“ For this scene, you'll be my girl and I'll be the hero,” Ellie said.
“ Does that make me the dim-witted damsel in distress?” Ria asked.
“ If the canoe fits,” Ellie said.
“ Hey!” Ria said as Ellie dragged the canoe toward the water and moved it sideways so the starboard side faced them. “Get in. You sit bow, the front, I'll sit stern. I'll teach you when we get on the water.”
“ What about my purse?” Ria asked. Ellie reached down and grabbed a plastic bag sitting in the dirt, shook the dirt out and handed it to Ria. Ria put her purse in the bag and set it in front of her seat. She used Ellie's shoulders to steady herself as she climbed in the canoe and sat down.
“ This doesn't have holes does it?” Ria asked.
“ Even if it had holes, this thing can still float when full of water,” Ellie informed.
Ria said, “You're a canoe encyclopedia.”
“ Like I said, I was a canoe instructor,” Ellie said. Ellie handed Ria a paddle. Ellie pushed the canoe out a bit, and with one foot in the canoe and one on land pushed the canoe fully into the water.
“Put the paddle in the water on either side and push it through the water,” Ellie called up to Ria.
“ Like this?” Ria asked as she reached the paddle out, parallel to the water. The blade hit the water several feet from the canoe.
“ Well that's more row boat style. Reach out in front of you, stick the paddle in the water so that it’s perpendicular to the water and then pull the paddle back in that same position until you get to your hip. Take it out of the water and then go back to the first step.”
“ Like this,” Ria said. She did a stroke.
“ Yes, exactly. That's a basic forward stroke. You're a pro,” Ellie said. She was already out of breath. She had been relentlessly paddling since they got in the canoe.
“ This isn't so hard,” Ria said. “Wait, maybe you're actually a pirate. That's why you have a secret identity and know so much about canoes.”
“ You got me there, Dr. Diaz. Pirates didn't use canoes though,” Ellie said.
“ Oh,” Ria giggled.
“ I do have this love for learning nautical terms though,” Ellie said.
“ I always wanted to learn them,” Ria said. “Teach me some. You said I'm in the bow. That's the front of a boat?”
“ Yes, and I'm in stern,” Ellie answered. “Starboard is right when you're facing bow and port is left. A trick to remembering is port and left each has four letters.”
“ Nice, I'm looking up nautical terms when we get out of here,” Ria said. “I think you just inspired me to be a pirate next Halloween.”
“ You would be one sexy pirate,” Ellie said.
“ Do you think Gwen thinks I'm sexy?” Ria asked. I start flirting with Ria and she brings up Gwen.
“ I don't know Gwen, but I can't believe anyone would find you not sexy,” Ellie said.
“ Really?” Ria asked.
“ Yes. I don't think I've ever met someone as good looking as you who doesn't know it,” Ellie said. “You really like this Gwen chick?”
“ Yeah, I do,” Ria said. “She's all I can think about. I know we've only seen each other twice, but we connect. We have such a good time when we hang out. We talk and text throughout the day.”
“ You text?” Ellie asked.
“ What?” Ria asked.
“ Nothing. Well, I’m glad that you’re happy,” Ellie said.
Ria said, “Thanks. Wait until I tell Maggie that I went canoeing on my lunch break with you.”
“ What do you think she'll be more impressed with, the canoeing or that it was with
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