Sink or Swim

Are you watching the Olympics? Michael Phelps is amazing…a reason to watch. Some people were born to do great things. I can only imagine what it would be like to be a gold medal Olympian and set world records.

You see…I am not the best swimmer in the world. I can tread water…dog paddle …and manage an atypical breaststroke. Hey, these simple strokes keep me afloat. If I fell off a boat I could survive…for a while. But just don’t leave me out there for too long to prove something.

There is a huge rock on our beach we call Flat Rock that is totally underwater at high tide. A definite destination. PaulA got this knucklehead idea that I should swim out to it. I haven’t swam out there in a long time. Heck, I know the rock is there…just like I know the moon is out there…but do I need to go? I think not.

After much coaxing from PaulA….like telling me the water was warm (for a change), and there were only a few people on the beach (he knows I can make a scene) …and that he would swim beside me (if I suddenly went south.) In typical PaulA fashion…he wasn’t taking “no” for an answer. I reluctantly agreed.

So I waded in…up to my ankles, knees, waist…bazoombs (hehe), and then I couldn’t touch. I guess I had to sink or swim. I first started with the breaststroke…I had to show the people on the beach my best stuff. Then a rest…rest….treading water. Then a beg…beg…for PaulA to carry me on his back. Then a good ole doggie paddle. Eventually I made it. I stood proudly on Flat Rock, like I was the first person to land on the moon.

I was feeling pretty good about my accomplishment…until I remembered how exhausted I was…and that I still had to swim back. But wait…How long to low tide? I could walk off this rock in about 5 hours.

Michael Phelps….I am not.