Long Islanders

23 - Jaws Again

The Long Island Sound glittered in the sunlight as Jimmy slipped his feet into the straps on his waterskis. John looked back at his friend from the motor boat he was seated in. "You ready?" he called.

Jimmy checked his gear one last time, balancing precariously on the skis. Then he glanced up at John and nodded. "Ready."

John started the motor, listened to it hum for a moment, and then nodded his head in satisfaction. "All right, Jimmy, we're moving out!"

The motor boat began to move forward, cutting through the water of the Long Island Sound as John steered it out from the dock. Jimmy gripped onto the handle as water started to spray up into his face from the skis sliding through the liquid surface.

Picking up speed, Jimmy laughed as he practically flew across the Long Island Sound, the noise from the engine muffled by the water shooting past him. The sun sparkled off of the broad expanse and the shore faded away behind him.

What if...? Jimmy mused, glancing down quickly at the fairly opaque water. He was reminded of one of his favorite movies as he shot across the Sound. What if...?

Dun-un. Dun-un. Dun-un.

The music played in Jimmy's head, the ominous beat sending a thrill down his spine. The Jaws theme brought back plenty of memories from the first time he had seen it, sneaking into the drive-in movie theater with his friends that summer to catch Jaws for free.

Jimmy smiled at the memory, water spraying in his face as the Jaws theme continued to run through his mind. He glanced down at the skis skimming over the surface of the Sound.

You know, a shark could just jump out of the water at me.

And then Jimmy's whole attitude changed. All he could think of now was a shark lunging up out of the water to take a bite out of his leg. All he could think of was blood coloring the water as Spielberg's rubber shark ate Jimmy.

Dun-un. Dun-un. Dun-un.

Jimmy was scaring himself. He felt his muscles tense and his breath come quicker. Any minute now, a shark might appear. Any minute now.

Any minute now.

Dun-un. Dun-un. Dun-un.

Any minute now.

Dun-un. Dun-un. Dun-un –

Jimmy had never been more relieved in his life when John steered the motorboat back towards shore. As Jimmy slipped his feet out of the skis, John jumped out of the boat as the engine powered down and gave his friend a quizzical glance.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Jimmy," he observed. "You okay?"

"I thought of the Jaws theme while on the water," Jimmy explained a bit sheepishly. "And then I thought of sharks."

"You scared yourself?" John asked, looking like he was on the verge of laughter.

"Yeah, pretty much."