July 14, 1990

I escaped death, by drowning, through the keyhole in the water.

The day prior, I had randomly picked up a small thin book and flipped open to a page.

Number 14, I remember vividly. It gave a tip. "How to Save Yourself from Drowning," a diagram with the illustration of an old skeleton key and a doorway, like to Heaven.

I had never learnt to swim. Certainly not in peer pressure...

Tomorrow my best friend was turning 10. Her father had given her a letter N stuffie, for Nicole, and a birthday party at the lake. A green murky bottomless basin.

Too yucky for you? Pale skin blushing in the sun.

"Can your feet touch the ground?!"

Yes, yes, they can. Jump in, the water is fine!

"Jump in. Jump in. Jump in. Jump in..."

And in, there, too green.

Not coward, nor prudent

Not being able to swim..!

Not wanting to jump out of Life.

No one believing, in not floating up;

Eyes open, one foot under and sinking,

Time stops but the heart is still ticking,

I've no instinct except to Think: I am Going to Die.

My ears are deafening with liquid, and lungs are screaming.

I remember the keyhole and draw its potent shape in the water.

Propelled immediately like by magic string, gasping, to the surface, breathing!

It must have been way down dark to cause such a panic on their helpless small faces.

Five of us in the water and no one to save us. Children God bless the handle on the floaty.

They haul me to the rocky edge, where Mr. Falanga is in horror holding out a hairy hand.

Hoisted to a towel. Puking water on dry land.

This is how I escaped, death, by drowning.

Through the keyhole in the water.

06.28.2023

Birthdays & Getting Older challenge @Melpomene