A lesson in judgment

It was after the war. They had gone for a canoe ride on the lake. A sudden storm whipped up and they took shelter near an island. Then there was an electrical storm and he froze, clinging to bushes in the rocks , not saying a word. A boat came from the lodge but couldn't get near. When the water calmed down her future husband paddled out in another canoe. Was everything ok. "Yes", she replied. She convinced her male companion to let go and let her paddle back. The went back, not to the main dock which was the closest. He wanted to go to the one closest to the sleeping quarters. When they docked he left the canoe for her to tie up and headed for the rooms. She tied the canoe, then headed for the dining room for something to eat.

Her future husband came in and she asked what that had been all about.

He explained. “During the war her companion had been in the air force and his plane crashed in Scotland during an electrical storm. He was the only one to crawl out of the wreckage. A farmer came to his rescue and took him home. His wife had served tea and a slice of bread and butter after calling for an ambulance. The farmer kept him talking, asking him about where he was from and about his family. And the young man answered. When the ambulance arrived he thanked them for everything and got up to leave. He walked a few steps and then collapsed. The ambulance took him away.”

You see he continued: ``When he crawled out of the wreckage the fuel had melted away the skin on his face. He spent time in one of the many hospitals set up during the war for restorative plastic surgery.``.

She couldn't tell by looking at him that day in the canoe.