In 1965 I was walking the levees along the Mississippi River. It was floodtime and it was a righ ripsnorter!

In four hour shifts we walked, looking for places where the river had undercut the levee. Imagine doing this at night!

The current by the levee was at least thirty miles an hour and there were uprooted trees and even buildings barreling along on that current. Slip into it and if you or the buddy you were walking with weren't quick, well, you get the idea.

Fortunately there had been a collection of life jackets so that we wee walkers could have some hope of not being swept away If The Worst Happened.

The Worst didn't. I was quite glad, as my life jacket was rated for a child of no more than fifty pounds. (It did make a dandy pillow.)