What's life without a
little excitement?
Especially when your plan,( after relocating
to a different town in the Canary Islands),
is to go directly to the nearest beach.
Stretch out on a towel and tan those pasty white legs
that were omitted being blessed by the sun during
the previous ten days of my stay on the island.
Through all the walking I did, I acquired
a golden brown tan to my upper body and face.
I'm looking good now!

To get to the beachfront of this town, it's a really straight
decline, from the top road on the side of a mountain,
where my hotel is, (unbeknownst to me
of it's location when booked), so steep
that I'm almost leaning backwards in my sandals
to find a gravity point for balance. No way can I
manage this climb and walk back from the beach
It's hail a cab for sure to get me home.

I almost rolled myself down the quarter mile
trek and once on flat ground again,
I spotted the beach.
It has black sand. I've only seen that in
magazine photos and now I can walk on it
in bare feet.
No, can't do that, it's bloody burning hot!
It comes from volcanic rock that's been
pulverized by nature and brought ashore
from Morocco, by way of current and
ferocious waves. This black sand holds
the heat like I've never felt before.

I scan the beach line and look for the
most unpopulated portion of the black
sandy strip, with scattered, smooth, round
rocks and boulders that have been
washed ashore.

I sit on my towel and gaze at the water.
I'm mesmerized by the sound
of the pounding waves, watching as they overlap
each other. They are slamming down to conquer
the weakest in front, as it retreats. Broken down,
it's silently being sucked back over the rocks
by the current that's being pulled into the deep.

Time passes through the heat of the day
and I become aware of the stream of sweat
that is running down my spine, as I
sit drinking bottled water that is warm.

My thoughts take me walking a short
distance to meet the cool incoming waves.
I'm careful not to go too far out to greet the waves
letting them hit me below the knees as they
roar in with power that takes them
up the sandy beach.

I turn towards my waiting towel
with my back facing the incoming waves
and start my legs moving me over rocks
but my steps are not carrying me
fast enough to escape the build up
of three waves, maybe four, that crashed
behind my knees, knocking me over.
I'm fighting to find my footing over the rocks
but I lose and am submerged as my hip
connects with a hidden boulder.
It was an extremely hard hit and the shock
isn't letting me prepare for being dragged
backwards towards the next consuming wave
that was now pushing me towards the dry sand.
Pushing me, as my stomach is being dragged
over the rocks and black sand. I can feel the
burning on my chest and knees as the
skin is being scraped away.

My forehead is starting to pound
as I gasp for air. I'm struggling to breathe
and my arms and legs are flailing as I'm
being pulled out to sea, again.
Am I having my first COPD attack?

Thoughts are flooding my brain in the
middle of this panic to breathe.
I can't find the strength to stand up. I
need to breathe.
I question myself, "Is this the beginning
of me drowning to death?"
Realizing how close this is to becoming the truth
I fight to keep my head above the wave
that is scraping me back to the shore line.
I slam into a boulder and my right hand finds
a crevice for my fingers to dig into on
the far side of my now, anchor rock.
No sooner did I grip with all my strength
to hang on, the wave retreats, dragging my body
in a straight line heading out to sea.

"I can't let go, I can't let go.
I don't know if I can make it back this time."

My eyes see a hand extended for my left hand
to grab. It's come out of nowhere.
I held onto this hand with all the strength I
had left and was pulled up out of the water
enabling me to stand on my legs.
Together, I stumble to the first dry patch of sand
where I have to stop to try and catch my breathe.
My legs feel like I'm wearing cement shoes.

This angelic-sent lady, holds onto me tight
until I'm able to walk the six steps to my towel.
I collapse on it, gasping and not knowing
how to get this life supporting air into me.
I keep telling myself to relax and breathe slowly.

I stare out at the waves that I gazed at
when I first arrived on the beach; where I
came to soak up some rays and relax.
I had been mesmerized by those waves.
The same waves that a few moments ago,
almost succeeded in drowning me.

I arrived in this town three hours ago.
I know I'm lucky and I'm grateful
for my angels sending me that lady
who held her hand out for me to grab.

Fifteen minutes later, I took in my first
full breathe. I sighed as the panic left.
I'm still alive.