We started at the creek behind Grandpa’s farm. Dad showed me how to skip stones. “Flat—fast—flick!” he said, and my stone hopped three times before sinking. Uncle Tom found a perfect stick and pretended it was a fishing rod. He told jokes that made the minnows jump and me giggle so hard water splashed my shoes. I drew the shadows of the trees in my notebook and wrote “water music” because the creek sounded like tiny drums.