wrong way

(1980 memoirs)
Then one spring day, or week-end, we were at a Merriman [fraternity] house party, on Green Lake I think it was.  People were doing this and that on the afternoon.  Seeing an idle row boat, he asked me if I'd like to go for a ride.  I said sure and got in.  He got in too, took the oars, pushed off, and started rowing backwards!  I was dumbfounded.  A couple of his pals on shore were highly amused!  I said, before thinking, "Don't you even know how to row?"  He was laughing too and soon started pulling the right way and we had a nice row.  I often think of little things like that.