Erica dreamed many times about going fishing. But her father wouldn't 1. "It's much 2 dangerous for you," he'd say. Erica tried to change her father's mind.3 her father only said, "I don't want you to be unhappy. I'm just worried about you."
Erica couldn't understand 4 her father wouldn't let her go fishing. She could swim very well—much better than some of her friends.
"You said I should always 5 new things," Erica said to her father. "You said that that's the 6 way people grow inside."
Erica's father said, "But sometimes a new thing can be dangerous."
"Is going on boats dangerous?" asked Erica. "Then why do you do it？Benny Nathan is younger than I am. But he goes fishing all the time."
Erica's father said, "But you're not as 7 as Benny."
Erica knew her 8 weren't very strong. But her arms were. She had to 9 her father that she was strong.
That Saturday 10 Benny came over, Erica asked him to race her in the swimming pool. Her father came along to 11.
"This is a special 12, " Erica said. "You can only use your arms, not your legs."
Benny started off quickly, but soon his arms became 13. Erica began to pull ahead. She got to the end of the pool 14.
After the race was over, Erica's father said, "I was wrong. You can take care of yourself— on a 15, or other places."
Two days later, she was on a boat heading out to the deep sea. Her father was sleeping next to her on a chair.
