Life’s richer after a break-even day on the rascally river

April Fools’ Day is approaching, so I believed I’d share a correct tale about a sensible joke performed on me, courtesy of the Delaware River.

The best matters in life are cost-free, and swimming in the river is on that checklist.

My brother and I routinely scuba dive in the river. No kidding! North of Trenton, the river’s apparent, rocky, shallow, and warm. That is why you see so lots of inner tubers in the summertime. On this working day my brother required to steel detect in close proximity to an previous mill in Higher Bucks County. We experienced been there just before. He place on his scuba gear and settled into the mill race.

I just had my snorkeling equipment and was going to invest my working day swimming in the Delaware. The drinking water was obvious and warm as I snorkeled absent from our boat. I spotted a greenback monthly bill caught to a rock, pinned there by the existing. A handful of seconds later I observed a 20 the similar way. Then one more dollar. Then a further twenty. I’d only been snorkeling a few minutes, but I’d found $42. I was heading to come across each 20 stuck to rocks in the Delaware. I was swimming like a idiot, downstream, upstream, around to Treasure Island (Not kidding, that is its identify.) But I didn’t obtain any additional twenties trapped to rocks.

I saw my brother unloading his gear into the boat. I swam about and started to brag. “Hey, what did you come across? I uncovered forty-two dollars.”

He reported, nonchalantly, “Didn’t you depart the house with forty-two pounds?”

That is when I understood why I hadn’t discovered any more dollars. I had located my own cash! Now, I could’ve been unhappy I wasn’t $42 richer. But I was content. I hadn’t missing $42 possibly. Apart from, I experienced expended a handful of fantastic hours swimming in the Delaware River, and it actually hadn’t value me a dime.

We loaded up the boat and headed upstream. It’s a good deal less difficult in a boat with a motor (in contrast to swimming.) We entered the calm waters of Pigeon Pool. You will not come across it on a map, just like you won’t locate Karly’s Kut Through, or Chicken Cutlet. Those are our places.

I stopped in Frenchtown for a bag of chips and a ginger ale. Swimming can make you hungry. I handed the cashier a soggy twenty-dollar monthly bill. She taken care of it like it was harmful and slipped it below the till where the much larger expenses are kept.

Story continues

Driving house I believed of an additional cliché. Income talks. I guess it does, ‘cuz there is this 20 I know, bragging to the fifties and hundreds that it is summer time and you can go swimming in the Delaware River for free of charge. It does not get a lot improved than that.

Carl Radich lives in Falls Township.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Periods: Guest Viewpoint: Life’s richer right after a break-even working day on the Delaware