After 25 miles in the heat I approched Savanna Illinois feeling weak. A nice pontoon boat slowed and came near. We talked for a little and ended up at the marina together where they invited me to their house.

David and Dee live five mile down river and towed my boat behind theirs. Dee asked “Is being towed going to bother you?” “Yes it is.” I replied. David said it was all part of the adventure. He tells me that he canoed from Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi to his house about 850 miles. He saw me rowing and understood.

We went for pizza and beer then a shower and laundry. First laundry in 16 days. David’s son came over and his dad said he picked me up on the river. His son didnt seemed fazed by his dads actions. We chatted a bit but I was in bed eight.

In the morning David cooked me eggs and sausage. He also found my my lost dirty sock and started cleaning it in the sink. I shuffle over and pour a second cup of coffee and notice he’s still washing the it. “Its just a sock, Dave.” It gets a laugh and Dee said “you fit in quick around here.”

David drove me back to Savanna to the supermarket and we listened to local radio. The announcer was reading the police reports for the local towns. The worst was a 70 year old woman was hit and killed by a 60 year old backing up. Most of the news was of the local n’er do wells getting busted for pot and other petty shenanigans. I said “That really not too bad for news”

Back home we go down to the river and empty the boat, tip it over and clean all the sand out. Clean body clean clothes and a clean boat. I thank David and Dee many times and set out.

My phone rings and Dee says she has my clean sock and David will meet me down the river a little. I meet him along the shore and he throws my clean dry sock in the boat. “Its just a sock Dave”  I say with a laugh and head down river.