I notice often that certain kids will choose to sit the number one seat, where the oars are lashed. They have taken on the oars as their special field of competence. They proudly repeat those magic moments when they can lash the oars. They rarely get it right the first time, but they get some part of it right and so they are anxious to try again. They learn to pass the oars out according to number and to wait til each oar is tossed before going on to the next one.
This isn’t a highly skilled job. Really, how hard can lashing oars actually be? But for young adolescents finding their way in the world it is a moment of safety. They can be useful, they will be praised, they will feel competent and important for that one moment. It doesn’t take much to encourage a kid. They just need to hold on to something they can believe in themselves for. So, they pull number one and they are happy.
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