A Born Swimmer

A Born Swimmer

As you all know, I love to swim. I have always been a strong swimmer even when I was little. The following experiences involve swimming, or the lack there of. See, when I was ten I was so excited because I had gotten a brand new boogie board. I took it to the beach every time I went, which was twice by the time our first story begins.
I had been out in the waves for about an hour when I saw a huge wave come up. Now, I had two choices, ride the wave or wait for a better one. The only problem was that I didn’t have time to do either. The wave was coming fast and before I knew it I was under the water being tossed here and there by the waves. The boogie board was strapped to my ankle and it was following the waves, pulling me under. I didn’t know which way was up and I was running out of air. I wanted to scream and cry but I needed every ounce of air I had. The water, once my friend, was trying to kill me. I was terrified as I fought for the surface, but the problem was, I was going the wrong way and I hit my head on the sand. I immediately switched directions and just as I was about to break through another wave came and my trusted boogie board pulled me under again. My air was running out and by the time the third wave hit I knew that I was going to die. I couldn’t hold my breath for that long and I knew that soon I would have to breathe something in. It was all because of that stupid ankle strap on my new board. If I hadn’t had it strapped in, I wouldn’t have been pulled under. I remember praying to the lord to save me and after my prayer I went completely limp. I guess I floated to the top or something because my next memory was taking in a huge gasp of air. I promptly picked up my board and walked along the shore to mom and dad.
This next story was a few years later. The ankle strap of my boogie board had since been chewed off by one of our dogs and I was much older (probably thirteen or fourteen). I was out in the waves again, my experience of years earlier having not deterred my enthusiasm for being out in the water, and I was resting on my boogie board. I had been out for a while and suddenly I saw a lifeguard coming out into the water. I looked around to see who was drowning because he was on his jet ski. I didn’t see anybody. That was when I noticed that he was coming directly towards me. I was confused, I was completely fine. In a hurried manner he told me to get on the sled with my board. Being very embarrassed I complied. When we were on the shore I found out that I had been caught in a rip tide. After thanking the lifeguard and being scolded by mom (don’t worry, I wasn’t mad mom) I spent an hour playing in the sand before going back into the water, this time with Michael as an escort.
Fast forward a few more years to May after I turned sixteen. It was freezing cold, pouring rain, and I was in a swim suit. I was certifying to be a lifeguard and I was the victim in the scenario. The rain made everything slippery and my shaking wasn’t helping. Several people had already gone home sick and two were being treated for hypothermia. Anyway, back to me. I was on the board pretending to be unconscious from drowning (yes, I get the irony) when I felt myself falling which a few seconds later was followed by my head hitting the board, bouncing off, and hitting it again. Yes, the geniuses had dropped me. I was treated for a head injury and then an hour later I did my scenario and got my license. Sadly, the girl who dropped me got hers too.
Months later I was life guarding below the big slide at the water park when I saw the guy at the top start to panic. I looked around and saw a little girl come out of the slide and hang on to the lane line for dear life. Without thinking I jumped over the bottom of the slide, gave the signal for Chase to stop dispatch and entered the water. Being this lovely day and age I had to ask if she wanted help, otherwise I could do nothing while she was still conscious. Anyway, she nodded and I picked her up. She clung to me for dear life but as soon as she was out on the cement she RAN away. I had to wait for my break to hunt her down and do all the paperwork after having to yell at her for running. For once though, the mom was on my side, I cannot tell you how many times I have been yelled at by parents. It is not fun. Anyway, back on topic. It felt great to save that little girl. It was then I realized why I had become a lifeguard. I loved the water, but I knew it was dangerous. I was there to protect the people like me who just get caught in a bad current. Of course the idiots that infest the park help me to forget and I really don’t know how to transition from that so I will just say, the end, and always listen to the lifeguards.