Yesterday, I took my wife and kids on her birthday adventure – kayaking Salt Run just outside of St. Augustine. We rented two double kayaks, and headed out from Anastasia State Park. On the way to the old city, we passed over a sand bar.

“Can I get out?” my oldest son asked. He was in the front of my kayak. His little brother was in the front of my wife’s.

She and I glanced at each other.

“Sure,” I said.

Both boys climbed out to stand knee deep in the middle of the intracoastal waterway. A splash fight started almost immediately, and I paddled to get out of the way.

Then I had a Bad Thought.

As quietly as I could, I started paddling away. No, I wasn’t really going to leave my kids stranded hundreds of yards from land. I just thought it would be funny. I got a fair distance away before I heard my oldest shout. “Oh no! Come back!”

I glanced over my shoulder and started paddling harder.

“Other boat!” the kids shouted. “Other boat!”

That’s when I saw that my wife had been doing exactly the same thing.

“Ah!” the kids shouted, torn between laughter and panic. “Catch em!”

Heh, heh, heh.