The Next Generation Chapter 6
| The Next Generation | |
|---|---|
| Chapter 6 of 19 | |
 | |
| Read this chapter | |
| Time frame | August, 1983 |
| Previous | Next |
Locations
- Willow Lake
- The Niven family home
- The Sorensen farm
- Canoeing down the river
Characters
- Lydia Sorensen
- Tom Sorensen
- Jim & Mary Towne
- Ron & Marjorie Flack
- Greg Jones
- Danielle Lee
Summary
Norman kids Judy about her driving the tractor, but Irene has a major fit and keeps insisting that Judy shouldn't be doing anything like farm work. Norman sticks up for her.
Irene sulks in the kitchen as she prepares dinner; she realizes that she can't keep Judy from doing what she wants, but she isn't going to like it.
The Willow Lake and Arvada Center Methodist church young adults group was having a meeting to decide on a summer activity. When a canoe trip is suggested, Roger Griswold agrees. Ken talks Judy into going. Irene doesn't like the idea, but Norman tells her to go and just have fun.
As they ride in Roger's van to Spearfish Lake to start their trip, there's talk about college, and the trip to Isle Royale that Ken and Bob had been planning but had to cancel when Ken's father was injured. They got to the campground, and Judy quickly fell asleep, realizing that this was the first time she had ever been camping.
The next day they set out in the canoes; Judy picks it up quickly. After the group has lunch, they start out again, and the splashing and canoe dumping starts; Judy leans out too far and capsizes their canoe. Roger and Kathy paddle over to see if Judy needs any help, and she promptly dumps their canoe.
Eventually, the floating paddles, cushions, and other gear was collected, and the group assembled on a sandbar but soon everyone ends up in the water again. A couple of hours later, they arrived at the campsite, and quickly consumed their food; afterwards they played volleyball, and finally sat around the fire. Judy went off by herself, and Ken followed to find her staring at the water, sobbing. She was lamenting the end of summer, and the end of all the fun that they had been having together, since Ken would be going to college and she wouldn't. Ken reminds her that Norman would want her to go, and offers to drive her back and forth every day so that she could ride with him. Ken reminds her that she has a lot going for her in spite of her crippled legs; they have their first kiss when she tells him "I'm glad you're my special guy."
