Brush with Death or Returning to the Sea

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This week. I’ve bounced back and forth between car accident and the story I’m about to tell. I chose this one. If anyone knows a story you want to hear from my perspective, let me know. Otherwise I get to choose and you’re along for the ride.

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Oh we need photos for this week!! I have a couple and I’ll pepper them in. Time to stop rambling.

Depoe Bay, Oregon 2021

“Life is a sea of vibrant color. Jump in.” – A.D. Posey

Gramma and Grampa loved to travel. I was always with them. Sometimes we stayed in lush condos, woodland resorts, or sometimes the giant RV van thing they had. Gramma had family in Pendleton, and would get together to stay. Aunt (let’s call her) Frannie. She had a condo in Seaside/ Astoria. So we packed into the van and drove the couple hours to join them.

Aunt Frannie had some kids my age so there was someone to talk to. One of my cousins brought her boyfriend. Let me tell you! This boy was an island beauty. He had raven waves of hair, dark chocolate eyes, and stood easilly a head above all of us. We were all 14 ish and in high school. I had a boyfriend back home that I was constantly texting. Back when you had to wait for nights and weekends to send a message. He had even gotten me a little ring to wear. Not that it was a promise ring. More of a gift that I wore. Anyway

It was decided that we would walk the shops. There it was. An old time photo studio. Of course we were dying to go in and dress up. These were a big tourist attraction and popped up in the yearly state fair.

Look at me. What a hot little dish I was. 🤣 My cousin- the blonde, and I made quite a pair. We never met previously but I remember the two of us being thick as thieves. After the shops we went back to the room and decided it was a good time to go swimming in the ocean. We scurried, like mice caught in the fridge, to rooms and bathrooms to get changed. I stood in the bathroom staring at my bathing suit. A deep red with pink flowers. I loved it in the store. My first two piece. Grampa had said it was risqué. Gramma said it was brazen. I stared at it. My teen mind wandering with how Victoria’s Secret I would look. But I knew I want 6’ and a gorgeous pair of legs. I knew I was short. With a little wiggle around the middle. It was a stare down. Finally I put it on. All of us headed down and the adults stayed up in the room, overlooking the beach below. It was a warm sunny day. The kind of day that makes the sand glow with sunlight. This island Adonis walked hand in hand with my cousin and my teen heart ached to be with my boyfriend too. A couple of the boys had boogie boards and were skirting along the edge of the water. I wandered out and let the water lick my toes. Delighted at the sand stuck to my feet. We splashed and laughed. The boys skirted by. We waded out to our chests.

The water continued to push and pull. The sand slipping away under my feet. I can’t touch the bottom!

Starting to panic, I desperately looked around. I was so far from anyone. The water splashing over me and pushing me under. I’m alone in the ocean! My arms and legs flailed uncontrollably. I was clawing at the water, begging for air. I was going to drown. My head broke the surface and I choked on some air before the water took me again. No one saw me. Each break in the waves I screamed out. Desperately calling for someone. Anyone to find me. My lungs refused the water I was taking in, demanding air. I told myself that no one would find my body. Gasping and gagging. How did I get so far from the beach?

My last thought before I stared at the sun through a haze of water. I went under again. My eyes closed and I went out.

A hazy vision. Bright sun. Hot sand. Beautiful black haired angel carrying me. My eyes closed again.

I’m laying down. Sounds of a motor running. I can hear gramma crying. How upset my mother will be that something happened to me. Someone is talking to me. Asking me to wake up.

I see a person in a uniform and blue gloves. Bright lights. Motor running. They ask me what I Remember. They tell me I nearly drown. They tell me that my cousin’s boyfriend pulled me from the water. They tell me that I road off the beach in the back of the lifeguard truck to the ambulance.

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I managed to return to the room. Shook and shivering. I drew a bath. Peeling my suit off and discarding it. I sat in the warm water. Still chilled to the bone. Letting the water rinse the sand from my skin. I stared at the tiny particles floating around me. How close to death I was. How fortunate I was to be sitting here. Then I saw it. My finger was now bare and all that was left of my tiny ring, was a little dent where it sat. The ocean took it’s fair share, and me? I get to tell the story.

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For fun and comparison here is one of me and my then boyfriend. These booths were a big deal.

Thank you for reading this story and thank you for your time. Until next time, as Always

be kind

💋🖤💋