Clint and me

I note in the paper this morning (December 27, 2008) that Clint Eastwood has (again) a couple of movies being touted as potentially Oscar-worthy. That's fine, but around here his Hollywood career is a mere sideline since it became widely known that as a young man in the very early'50's he was a lifeguard at Kennydale Beach.

There was a Renton Recorder telephone interview awhile back where he said that he certainly remembered those days: "It was a pretty rural area then. Folks were real enthusiastic about swimming, especially the kids. I don't think we ever lost anyone so I guess I did ok."

Well, I recollect those lazy hazy days, too. I almost drowned there when I was five, maybe six, teaching myself to swim so he didn't have to save me later on. During the summers of his era (sometimes our "summer" began in April or May) we'd trek on down there two or three times a day. After laying in the sand for a bit we'd say, "I'm going in" and head for the water. Twenty or so swimming minutes later: "I'm going in". Back to the beach to tan and burn.

The rest of the time we just ran around being "real enthusiastic". Yeah, that's right: When you add all the stuff Clint did to my activities, together we put Kennydale Beach on the map!