Posted on 05/24/2006 3:16:47 PM PDT by Mad Dawgg
When I was sixteen, I was body surfing on Block Island in huge waves from a big storm off shore. I was with two girls I met the night before.
A mega undertow set up, and both girls swept past me doing about 40mph...they couldn't hear me telling them to float horizontal-like: upright in the water, they got the push seaward in the belly and legs.
Already having been in the water a long time, and really tired, I wondered what I should do. One of the two girls finally figured it out, and was making progress...the other started disappearing, waving her arms. I knew she was outta steam, and drowning.
I swam out about 75 yards and started pulling her in. Surfers were everywhere...a friend, about 60 ft away couldn't hear me screaming for help...he just caught the next wave after looking at us puzzled for a moment. No one got the picture.
I pulled her, and pulled her...all the while being slammed by huge, crushing waves....swallowing water....beaten up....out of steam. I let her go to save myself.
It was a decisive moment in my life. What to do? I went back and started pulling again.
Another dozen yards, and my body gave out. I sank, looking up at the surface, ready to die.
Then something happened...second wind....'NOT FREAKIN" HAPPENING!' Reserves of stubborn.
Swam up to the top, grabbed her again...she was limp...subconscious...and I started pulling.
Then I was out of my reserve. I was falling under the waves, the gal in my arm...going nowhere. Arms and legs like lead. Again I got ready to die. Looking up, the sun was beautiful through the water. My ears rang beautiful tones in fifth harmony. It wasn't so bad. Peaceful. I resigned myself. I felt happy.
My foot hit the bottom during a receding wave.
My eyes bugged out...I exploded, and started digging in with my feet as fast as I could...where'd that strength come from? I'm sure I hadn't breathed in a long long time. The next wave smashed us, and rocketed us to the beach.
She puked, I puked.....we lay there for about a half-hour recovering before either of us could talk. I'm pretty sure I saved her life. I've never been as close to death since.
I would not, could not step over that guy on the mountain. If I were to die pulling, I'd go happy.
How would my mind and life be if I'd not gone back for the drowning girl? Husk-like existence? A long time to regret and say I shoulda, I coulda? Guilt. Better to die.
God calls the shots: just because the situation is impossible, doesn't mean you've been abandoned, rolling dice with your own life, in what your conscience clearly tells you is the right action on behalf of a another. The voice is there. At sixteen, I was listening.
Offer your life to save another: if you lose, you win; if you win, you win.
Deny conscience, save yourself the risk: rot inside.
I feel sad for the 40. They're already dead. Their hollow rationalizations are their epitaphs. RIP.
And to the rail of this thread: Hooray for a real mountaineer, a gent and a nobleman by his actions!
Oh sure, Sir Edmund can say that now. He's already reached the top.
Yeah, put an asterisk next to their names in the book!
I agree with you. If you give your life trying to save another, you PASS. You go to the head of the line. You're in like flint!
These guys passed up a chance to have the greatest adventure of their lives.
We're humans, and we will do superhuman things to save ordinary humans. When they're stranded, we don't ask "do they deserve this?" We go get them.
I suspect former military who are over 50 would say "don't leave him" to a man.
Praise God for your willingness to risk your life for another's. I wouldn't want to be any of those forty people.
And I suspect the current Military would as well.
I agree, but I didn't want to speak for them. I just know in my generation, it's unthinkable.
I have the feeling your account is absolutely a true one. I concur with what you have said. The human race has many flaws. All of us are suject to selfish mistakes.
What separates humanity from the ugly, perverse dark side that plagues it, is- well, being human.
The cold pragmatic decisions mark these men (men?). I read in a novel, that was filmed, "Anatomy of a Murder". There was this quote on the grasping distrustful trailer park owner.
"Just another representative of the vast gentle breed that shall one day inherit the smoking cinder of the earth". (Paul Biegler).
I was saved from drowning in Lake Timsah,Egypt. Hence my homily, that is another story.
Many of us will come to an end and will know it. For you- whoever you are. You are in the footsteps of the good Samaritan. As to the others.
Selfish, self absorbed rotters.
I am neither "former military" or over 50 (however I cannot make that claim for much longer) but I know I could in no way pass this poor soul on the way UP and leave him behind. Now I might have to leave him behind after I exhauseted all efforts to if nothing else drag him down, but first you can be damn sure I would be looking to the other 40 for some help and make the attempt.
Who knows maybe the poor sought just needed a little boost to get to his feet and someone screaming in his ear and telling him to move or die.
But in no way am I going on to the top and leaving him/her behind, cuz see I know I got to live with myself after I get back down to the bottom.
I agree. You have to know what's important, and staying on schedule and getting to play King on the Mountain are not important.
If nothing else, sit with him while he goes.
This event was one step removed from putting grandma on an ice floe.
Sorry. Blew the ping on #56.
Ah! I dived down and unscrewed the shackle pin. [righty-tighty; lrfty-loosey...I know some engineering] Up she floated like a cork!
Mary Jo....she must be dead. Hopeless. Now...about ME.
How do you know anything is hopeless?
500 lbs divided by 40. That's.....ummmm....12.5 lbs each!
Mustard seed faith....positive attitude....compash....empathy....guts....I hope I still have em. I pray I'm not tested again. But I'm a hopeless Boy Scout...deep down.....despite my everyday facade of selfish curmudgeonliness.
Yeah, like tying a net of ropes to him and all 40 take an end and together drag him back down. Of course it means all 40 give up their quest for the top, but that isn't the Top that matters in the end.
" Hey buddy...since you're kinda outta breath, mind if I use yer phone to call my broker?"
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.