Max and I went to Fort Foster in Maine again. I like to talk about our trips there. We generally have a lot of fun doing tons of stuff like:

  • walking the hiking trails
  • climbing the buildings built for World War II
  • swimming in the ocean
  • playing in the playground
  • hunting for special rocks, clams, and sand dollars.

But on this day it was different. It was hot, sunny, and muggy. Dad was asleep at the wheel. What I mean is we arrived at 11:30 and Max immediately took his shirt off and headed for the beach and the water. I know all the Moms’ red flags went up to hear me say this. But let me continue.

Even though it was such a hot day the water was cold. I found that when I went in my feet immediately froze. I found it best to walk along the edge and then pass to and fro into the water; zigzagging until I was up to my knees. I found that this was the best way to get used to it.

Max had no problem moving right in. He spent the next three hours looking for periwinkles and clams in the water. The park has several small beaches so as he finished up with one we would move onto the next.

At 2:30 he found a Dad and son that were searching for sand dollars. When he tried to join them they welcomed him with open arms. The three of them continued to search together. Eventually the Dad found a whole dollar, a hermit crab, and a very large snail. Max discovered half of a sand dollar and he was very excited. And the son actually caught a lobster which he then let go.

But now here’s the “asleep at the wheel” part. My wife called at 3 pm and during our conversation she asked if Max had put on sun screen. Here was a “DUH” moment! I never thought of it. We had been here several times in the spring when we didn’t have to worry about it. Besides that it has been 16 years since I had a bad sunburn; I’m generally very careful.

I immediately called Max over. He looked okay but I put the stuff on him anyway as he protested strongly. I didn’t have to touch his back because he had put his shirt on a couple of hours before. It was a muscle t-shirt that left his shoulders and arms bare so I lathered them up. I also did his legs, feet, and whatever parts of his face he allowed me to put it on.

After that I put it on too. I covered my ears and back of my neck too.

Later on, after the others went home Max and I were walking down the hiking trail. I was in front of him and I glanced back once to see if he was still there. I noticed several spots of red on the inside of his left knee. They looked almost like blood.

I mentioned it to him. He had a knee length bathing suit on so he pulled it up to check. We both came to the conclusion that it was a rash that may have been caused by rubbing against the edge of his suit.

But about 5:30 when we were just about to leave he started to complain that it hurt and he was having trouble walking. I looked at it and discovered that it was now a massive swollen mess. It was still soft and smooth like the rest of his leg but it bothered me.

After we got home I sent him in to show my wife while I unpacked the car. When I got inside she informed me that it was now very hard. We were both worried. We still didn’t know if it was a bite, or a sting, or something else. She even wondered at one point if it was poison ivy.

While we were driving home I had taken the ice pack we had for our drinks and put it on his leg. By that time it was fairly warm but he said it helped a little. At home we found a cold one to replace it. Then he felt much better.

In the meantime he had taken his shirt off and we discovered that his shoulders and arms had turned a bright red. Max now has his first sunburn ever! His skin is so pale that the burn stands out very sharply. And when my wife checked me she found the back of my neck and arms just as bad.

Max complained until we put ointment on it. Dad complained until he got the ointment too.

So this is where I “fell asleep at the wheel”. I forgot the sunscreen until it was too late. I didn’t keep a close eye on him so I don’t know where the “rash” came from. I felt really bad about both…still do.

But as my wife says as far as the sunscreen goes, maybe he will now remember to put it on. And as far as the “rash” goes I’m not sure I could have protected him from that.

When he woke up the next morning the swelling had gone done and it just looked like red spots again. And he didn’t have any pain from the sunburn. The only think was he didn’t get up until 8:30 when my wife had to wake him. This is a boy that rarely sleeps passed 5:30 in the morning. I don’t know if this had anything to do with it or if he was finally just getting caught up on sleep.

Anyway he’s my son and I suppose I’ll always worry about him. I’m 54 and my 84 year old Mother still worries about me!

But with all of this Max and I will still enjoy our Fort Foster days.