More Snow Melt

A hot August day at the beach

30-Day blogging challenge Day 12: July 12, 2011 ~ Prompt: “It's hotter than Hades in August and you're at the beach. You run out into the ocean waves, jump to get over that big one, and on the way back down, something bumps against your leg. What would you do? Would you dive under the water to see what it was? Would you yell for help? Would you swim toward shore in the same direction as the bump? Or something else?”

Under normal conditions, on a hot August day at the beach, I would probably be hiding under a large umbrella applying sunscreen with an SPF rating of 50 or more to my body. I am one of those people who sunburn easily and swiftly.

Under normal conditions, I would not run into the waves. I would walk extremely carefully along the edge, letting the waves wash my feet and ankles. After treading water for a few minutes, I swim like a stone; therefore, before going very far into the waves, I make sure I am within sight of a lifeguard station. I also make sure the lifeguard sees me going into the water.

I am 64 years old, with osteoarthritis in my right knee; so under normal conditions I do not jump over big or small waves. I let them strike me and hope they do not knock me down. Despite this, I go to the beach every chance I get, but since I live in Las Vegas and the middle of a desert, I do not get very many chances.

I enjoy the beach. I enjoy the feel of the hot sand on my bare feet. I enjoy the feel of the waves washing against my legs. I enjoy the feel of the salt water on my bare arms. Now I will answer the questions asked in the prompt.

If I were at the beach under the circumstances described, I would dive under the water to see what bumped me. I would do this because; I do things spontaneously without considering the consequences and hope I can learn to breath under water. In this case, I would hope that whatever bumped me was a merman because as I said before, I can tread water but swim like a rock. Actually, I swim like a piece of granite. So the creature that bumped me would have to rescue the lifeguard would probably be looking elsewhere and not see me dive underwater.