Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Meme #6: The First Time I Saved Someone's Life

Earlier this week I was tagged with my first meme: "Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself." This is a further explanation of #6 on my list.

I was 11 years old the first time I saved someone's life. (That I know of.)


Ironically we were taking a certification test for "Basic Lifesaving" at the time.

I had already "rescued" my friend during my part of the test and next, she was supposed to "rescue" me. I said "Ok, better come save me. I'm drowning!" Then I made a face, crossed my eyes, plunged down under the water, and waited for her to do a surface dive and come get me.

And I waited.... and waited... holding my breath.... wondering what was taking her so long.... and then I saw her.... sinking down past me! I grabbed her and pulled her up to the surface. It seems that when I'd made the face and crossed my eyes, she'd started laughing and choking on water, and then had started to drown! I tread water with her and tried to get an adult's attention, but of course they thought we were still pretending to drown so they ignored us!

I held her above the surface for about five minutes until she stopped coughing and was breathing ok again. She told me she didn't want to go to shore and that she wanted to continue with the test. When she was able to tread water on her own and was breathing normally I asked if she was sure she wanted to continue and she said she was. So I said "Ok" and made some kind of wise crack about remembering WHOSE turn it was to drown! Then I dove back under the water and waited again.

And I waited.... and waited... and eventually I saw her sink past me again, semi-conscious towards the bottom of the lake. (Apparently this was MY fault too for making her laugh again re: my comment about remembering whose turn it was to drown!) This time I pulled her all the way into shore. She recovered, and is now married and a writer for the New York Times.

(I also had to paddle her to shore once during a canoe race after a neighboring rowboat whacked her in the head with an oar.)

 

10 Comments:

Vanessa said...

She is damn lucky you are her friend! She should never let you out of her sight when she's around water!

Hillary said...

Oh my goodness! That's insane! Good thing you had your wits about you!

MP said...

Well I'm glad she had you..and that sucks that she couldn't master swimming and laughing at the same time!

Kennis said...

so..telling jokes in a pool could be hazardous to someone's health. Got it..lol.

Melissa said...

Apparently you CAN "die laughing" ;)

She was actually brilliant with words and books. Highly intellectual, even when she was about five. The teachers were always in awe of her. There was never any doubt that she'd grow up to be a successful writer. But aquatics..? Not so much ;)

Grandy said...

Holy CRAP!! What a story!!! You are quite the Girl Scout. Got any cookies?? ;)

Tania said...

Keep that girl on dry land!

Melissa said...

Lol! I agree Mac. And Grandy, sadly, I have no Girlscout cookies. All the Girlscouts I knew grew up and left me without a supplier for my fix! ;)

(My "Fix" by the way, would be Samoas, Thin Mints, Tagalongs, and Trefoils!)

Grandy said...

How awesome that your fix would be the same as mine. But wouldn't ya know? NONE of those cookies are named that anymore...EXCEPT Thin Mints. The Tagalongs are "Peanut Butter Patties" (Duh!), Trefoils are now "Shortbread Cookies", again stating the obvious. If they change the recipe...fuhgetaboutit!!!

Melissa said...

Actually, the cookie names vary depending on which baker supplies your GS troops. ABC-something uses your names. Little Brownie Bakers uses the older names. I may have to do a post on this. Especially since I JUST found out how to get some near me! :D